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DATE  DUE                         1 

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UNIVERSITY  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 

LIBRARY 


<^ 


A*^ 


F 

74 

N86C5 


THE  OLD  CHURCH.     BURNED  1876. 


ANTIQUITIES 


n 


C4 


HISTORIC  ALS  \  GRADUATES 


OF 


NORTHAMPTON, 


BY 


Rev.  Solomon  Clark,  Plainfield,  Mass. 


"  Remember  the  davs  of  old  ;  consider  the  years  of  many  generations." 

— Moses. 


Itortbampton,  HTnss.: 

Skam    ^U3S    of    (Sn^ctte    ^printing    Comjjany, 

1882. 


»^u«ii  i»nmifB>|Mipwm  <!■  mi 


"N, 


LIBRARY 


■lt~t-  »M-nWIW»1»i  WltM 


U^ilVERSITY  OF 

massao^usetts 
amheksOass. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1881,  by 

SOLOMON   CLARK, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Readers  so  commonly  pass  over  the  introductory,  the  writer  will  be 
pardoned,  in  this  instance,  for  consulting  brevity.  This  work  origi- 
nated in  a  small  beginning,  viz.  :  in  an  effort  to  ascertain  the  num- 
ber of  Northampton  graduates  at  Williams  College.  The  result,  pub- 
lished in  the  Hampshire  Gazette,  contained  the  suggestion  that  some 
one  or  more  would  prepare  a  list  of  all  college  graduates  belonging 
to  the  town.  After  Widting  awhile,  no  response  coming  from  any 
quarter,  the  purpose  was  formed  to  commence  what  at  length  has 
been  accomplished.  The  only  thing  serving,  at  the  outset,  as  a 
guide,  was  a  statement  of  President  Timothy  Dwight,  made  about 
1815,  namely,  that  one  hundred  young  men  of  Northampton  had 
received  a  public  education.  Nothing  was  hinted  as  to  their  names, 
the  families,  and  the  particular  college  with  which  they  were  con- 
nected, or  the  year  of  their  graduation.  It  was  soon  seen  that  an 
amount  of  work  had  been  undertaken,  not  readily  described.  But 
nothing  is  denied  to  well  directed  diligence.  Perseverance  conquers 
all  things.  If  discouragements  and  obstacles  arose,  so  also  came 
valuable  helpers,  as  the  exigency  required.  It  may  safely  be  said 
the  labor,  attended  with  much  positive  enjoyment,  has  been  crowned 
with  unexpected  success.  It  is  not  claimed  that  the  work  is  perfect. 
The  steady  purpose,  however,  has  been  to  make  it  so.  The  writer 
commends  it  to  the  charitable  judgment  of  an  intelligent  public.  It 
is  offered  as  a  tribute  of  his  high  regard  for  his  native  town. 
Among  other  things,  may  it  serve  to  remind  the  present  generation 
of  the  superior  worth  of  those,  who  more  than  two  centuries  ago 
laid   in  Northampton,    the  foundations  of    such   excellent  institutions. 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

Before  conclading,  gratitude  is  expressed  to  Him  wlio  has  said, 
"  Commit  thy  way  to  the  Lord,  trust  also  in  him,  and  he  shall 
bring  it  to  pass."  Large  the  number,  kindly  and  thankfully  remem- 
bered, who  have  variously  aided  in  this  undertaking.  Did  space 
permit,  the  long  list  of  names  would  be  inserted.  Some  of  precious 
memory,  who  did  much  and  spoke  many  encouraging  words,  have 
passed  within  the  veil, — Rev.  George  Sheldon,  D.  D.,  Alfred  H.  Hunt, 
James  Lyman.  Among  the  living,  special  acknowledgements  are  due 
to  the  following,  viz.  ;  Benjamin  W.  Dwight,  the  author  of  Strong 
and  Dwight  genealogies,  volumes  of  great  value.  Also  to  the  authors 
of  the  Lyman,  Clapp,  Stoddard,  Judd  and  Warner  genealogies.  Rev. 
J.  L.  Sibley,  Librarian  Emeritus  of  Harvard  College  ;  Prof  F.  B. 
Dexter,  Assistant  Librarian  of  Yale  College  ;  the  Librarians  of  Wil- 
liams and  Amherst  Colleges ;  Hon.  L.  M.  Boltwood  ;  Hon.  George 
Sheldon,  Deerfield  ;  W^illiam  K.  Wright ;  Rev.  E.  S.  Dwight,  Had- 
ley;  Rev.  P.  W.  Lyman,  S.  E.  Bridgman,  J.  R.  Trumbull,  H.  S. 
Gere,  editor  of  the  Hampshire  Gazette,  and  Dea.  W.  H.  Stoddard  ; 
also  the   Conn.    Valley   History. 

All  who  have,  as  subscribers,  patronized  this  work,  and  thereby 
secured   its  publication,    will    please   accept   the   author's  thanks. 


INDEX, 


ALEXANDER. 

Abigail, 
Thomas, 

ALLEN. 

Adriana  S., 
Charlotte  F., 
Elijah, 
Elijah.  2d, 
Elijah,  3d, 
Elijah  E., 
Elisha, 
Elizabeth  L., 
Elizabeth  P., 
Experience, 
Hannah, 
Jonathan, 
Maj.  Jonathan. 
John  Wheelock. 
91, 


Joseph, 


173, 


160, 

204. 


Mrs.  Joseph, 

Merab, 

Moses,  Rev.,  29, 

Moses, 

Noah, 

Phineas, 

Samuel. 

Samuel,  Dea., 

Solomon,  Rev.,  160,  224. 

Thomas,  Rev.,    29,  116, 

Thomas, 

William,  Judge,         29, 

William,  Pres.,    240, 


50 
50 


251 
2^S9 
IHO 
161 
161 
162 

!)1 
240 
,160 
'134 
110 

91 

51 
276 
166 
213 

32 

91 
275 
269 

50 
269 

90 
265 
269 
275 
173 
276 
276 


ALVORD. 


Abigail  P., 

Alf'xander, 

Benjamin, 

Elijah, 

Elisha, 

Esther, 

Eunice. 

James  C, 

John, 

Joseph, 

Margaret, 

Medad, 

Thomas, 


208 
374 
113 
146 
87 
49 
374 
371 
146 
374 
113 
374 
128 


27, 
277 


129 


277 


131 


209 


ASHMUN. 

Eli  P.,  Hon.,  144,  277 

George,  Esq.. 
John  H.,  Esq., 

ATHERTON 
Sarah, 

AVERILL. 
John  P., 

BAILEY 

Joseph  S., 

BAKEMAN. 
Samuel, 

BAKER. 

Henrv,  278 

Hollister,  115 

John.  Capt.,  115.  220 

Marv.  131.  180 

Noah,  Rev.,  220 

Osmyn,  116.  278 

Samuel,  131 

Sarah,  374 

William  L.,  278 

BANCROFT. 

Aaron,  Rev..  D.  D.,         278 
George.  Hon.,  182,  278 

George,  Jr.,  279 

John  C,  279 


BARNARD. 


Anna, 
Rachel, 

BARRETT. 

Benjamin,  Dr., 
Edward  B.. 

BARRY. 
M.  E.,  Rev., 

BARTLETT. 

Abigail  L., 
Alvah  L., 
Christopher, 


174 
244 


279 
279 


280 


183 
184 
184 


Cornelius, 

David, 

Ebenezer, 

Elihu, 

Elijah, 

Gideon, 

Joseph, 

Loren  S., 

Moses, 

Noah. 

Phebe. 

Phineas, 

Preserved, 

Robert, 

Samuel, 

Samuel,  Jr., 

William, 

William,  2d, 

BATES. 

Cornelia  F., 
Isaac  C.  Hon., 
Joshua,  Rev., 
Martha  H., 
Samuel  H., 
William,  Rev., 

BASCOM. 
Hannah, 

BEECHER. 
Lyman,  Rev., 

BENJAMIN. 

Mrs,, 

BENTON. 

Andrew.  Rev., 
Maria  W., 

BILLINGS. 
William, 

BINGHAM. 

Hiram,  Rev., 
Hiram,  Jr.,  Rev., 

BIRDSEYE. 
Nathan,  Rev., 


184 
183 

las 

'  184 
184 
165 
183 
198 
184 
184 
116,  183 
184 
184 
48 
182 
182 
183 
18:3 


372 
SaS,  280 
249 
233 
280 
244 


145 
269 

187 


246 
247 


281 


161,  251 
251 


168 


VI 

INDEX. 

BISHOP. 

Thomas,  Esq., 

284 

CHAUNCEy. 

George  S.,  Rev., 

253 

Thomas,  Mrs., 

246 

Abigail, 

98 

215 

BLAKE. 

BRIGHT. 

Katharine, 
Nathaniel,  Rev., 

215, 

216 
287 

Gertrude  L., 

241 

Emily  S., 

249 

Sarah, 

219 

Henry  J.,  Col., 

241 

Henry, 

249 

CHENEY. 

BLISS. 

BROWN. 

Samuel,  Rev., 

169, 

219 

John, 

141 

Clarence, 

284 

Mary, 

46, 

140 

Huldah, 
John,  Col., 

185 
185 

CHESTER 
Maria 

96 

BLODGETT 

• 

Nina  E., 

373 

CHILD. 

*/W 

Prof.  Benjamin  C, 

281 

BRYANT. 

David  L., 

287 

'  BODMAN. 

Martha  J., 

372 

CHILSON. 

Luther, 
Nellie  R., 

255 
254 

BUCKMINSTER. 

Haynes  H.,  Esq., 

287 

Joseph,  Rev., 

218 

Henshaw  B., 

287 

BOIES. 

BURGESS. 

CLAP. 

Ethan  E.. 

281 

Jane  Louisa, 

257 

Miriam, 

239 

Roger,  Capt., 

39, 

125 

Justus, 
William, 

257 

282 

BURNELL. 

Calvin, 

238 

Preserved,  Elder,  39,  91 
CLAPP. 

,125 

BOLTER. 

Lucy, 

238 

Asahel, 

165 

Alfred, 

281 

Paulina, 

238 

Beulah, 

224 

Nancy, 
William, 

281 
281 

BURNHAM. 

Caleb, 
Chester  E., 

288 
288 

Mary  A., 

127 

Edward, 

126 

BOSWORTH. 

BURR. 

Elizabeth, 

136 

Edward,  Rev., 

236 

Ezra, 

287 

Joseph, 
S.  J.. 

198 

Aaron,  Rev., 

222 

Hannah, 

91, 

151 

m8 

Aaron, 

222 

Jonathan,         183, 

151, 

224 

»-F.       V    .J 

JL  tJKJ 

Sarah, 

222 

Mary, 

93 

BRAINERD 

, 

Merrick, 

127 

David, 

222, 

283 

BURROUGHS. 

Preserved,  Capt., 

181 

BRECK. 

Henry,  Rev., 

284 

Richard, 
Simeon, 

113 
126 

Aaron,  Dea.,      165, 

166, 

271 

BURROWS. 

Sophia,  Mrs., 

126 

Aaron.  Jr.,  Mrs., 

T7»  ^                    J 

229 

George  H.,                149 

,  168 

Warham, 

126 

Edward, 

283 

William  D., 

245, 

127 

Eunice, 

165 

BURT. 

William  R, 

154 

John,  Col., 

26 

David,                           46.  49 

William  W., 

186 

Joseph  H.,  Rev., 

188 

233 

Gains, 

164 

Zenas, 

127 

Joseph  H.,  Mrs., 
Moses, 

138, 
165 

283 
269 

Sarah, 

220 

CLARK. 

Robert,                   36 

,88 

283 

BUTLER. 

Abigail, 

125 

Samuel, 

166 

283 

Arthur  G., 

371 

Abner, 

149 

Wainwright, 

165 

Daniel.                      187, 

235 

Allen, 

134 

Eliza  W., 

235 

Allen,  Mrs., 

135 

BREWER. 

Hetty  S., 

241 

Annie, 

373 

Chauncey,  M.  D., 

216 

John  S., 

284 

Anson  B.,  Dea., 

255 

Daniel,  Rev., 

216 

J.  Hunt, 

187 

Azariah,  Rev., 

288 

J.  Hunt  Jr  . 

286 

Benjamin, 

177 

BREWSTER 

. 

Samuel  R., 

285 

Caleb, 

177 

Clara  Minerva, 
Jonathan, 

161 

251 
161 

Simeon, 

Stephen  B., 

William,                    164 

18i 

286 

,  184 

Calvin. 
Charles  H., 
Charles  N.,  Esq., 

162 

180 
112 

BRIDGMAN 

7       ^'^  ^ 

Chauncey,  Hon., 

182 

CARLETON. 

Clara  M., 

373 

Ansel   Rev., 

153 

284 

Charles  A., 

286 

Daniel, 

133 

Edward, 

153 

Danifl  R., 

150 

Howard  A., 

371 

CATE, 

Daniel  W., 

135 

James, 

46 

H.  J.,  M.  D., 

286 

David, 

111 

John, 

153 

Dexter, 

163 

Joseph, 

153 

CHAMBERLAIN. 

Dorus,  Rev., 

33 

Lewis, 

284 

Cyrus  N.,  Doct., 

286 

Ebeiiezer,  Lt., 

122, 

176 

Noah, 

152 

154 

^^  TT    A     ■***  T  "^T 

Ebenezer,  Jr., 

149 

Noah,  Jr., 

153 

CHAPIN. 

Edward  L., 

164 

Sidney  E., 

62 

Caleb, 

193 

Edwin,  Col., 

181 

Sylvester, 

153 

Catharine, 

193 

Edwin  C, 

135 

Theodore, 

153 

Lovisa  P., 

245 

Eli, 

114 

INDEX. 


Vll 


149, 
160, 
180, 


44,  110, 
277, 


Elihu,  123, 

Elijah,  Dea.,  115, 

Elisha, 

Ella  C, 

Enoch, 

Enos,  bea., 

Erastus, 

Eunice, 

Ezra, 

Ezra  E., 

Foster, 

Frank  E., 

Hannah, 

Hattie  N., 

Increase,  114,  178, 

Isaac, 

Isaac,  Rev., 

Isaac  E.,  179, 

Israel,  Dea., 

Jared, 

Jared,  Dea., 

James  D., 

Jonas, 

Jonathan  A., 

John,  Dea.,     -j 

John,  Jr.,  Dea.,        178, 
John,  Dea.,  3d, 
John  B.,  Prof., 
John  Pioctor, 
Josiah,  Dea.,     180,  181, 
Josiah,  Ensign, 

Josiah,  Rev.,  -j  ^^^^ 

Josiah,  Prof.,    182,  240,' 

Justin, 

Lemuel, 

Levi, 

Lewis  Crawford, 

Lovisa, 

Lucius, 

Lutlier,  Dea.,    162,  180, 

Martha, 

Mary, 

Mary  A., 

Medad, 

Melzar, 

Moses, 

Nathan, 

Nathaniel,  111, 

Noah, 

Phineas, 

Rebekah, 

Rhoda, 

Samuel,  177, 

Samuel,  Jr., 

Sarah, 

Sidney  L., 

Silas, 

Simeon, 

Solomon,  Doa., 

Solomon,  Rev., 

Sophia  C, 

Spencer, 

Susan  W., 

Susannah, 

Sydenham, 

Theodore  J.,  Rev., 

William,  Lt.,]j22fl7l' 

William, 

William,  Jr., 


176 
2ttS 
53 
873 
179 
270 
179 
136 
150 
291 
114 
290 
132 
255 
373 
181 
2d0 
290 
2ti9 
176 
272 
289 
150 
134 
174 
265 
265 
262 
290 
291 
268 
178 
182 
288 
288 
164 
181 
124 
290 
161 
151 
270 
221 
255 
373 
149 
182 
204 
161 
178 
123 
177 
115 
149 
221 
221 
126 
244 
123 
148 
134 
289 
373 
150 
2)3 
373 
181 
289 
,41 
221 
150 
151 


William,  3d,  151 

William,  4th,  151 

W.  S.,  Prof.,  230 

CLARKE. 

Anna  Laura,  i73 

Augustus,  168 

Edward,  241 

Frederick  W.,  173 
John,                           155,  189 

Joseph,  173 

Mary  F.,  372 

Samuel,  Capt.,  173 

CLEVELAND. 
John,  Rev., 

CLIFFE. 
Caroline  M., 

CLOUGH. 
Marion  B., 

COBB. 

Elisha  G.,  Rev., 

COGSWELL. 
Joseph  G., 


COLE. 


Matthew, 


291 
374 
373 

291 
291 

49 


COLLINS. 

H.  A.,  Mrs., 

133 

Helen  G., 

372 

COOK. 

1-1% 

Aaron,  M:ij.,         40,57^176 

Aaron,  Dea., 

125,  268 

Benjamin,  Gen., 

149 

Elisna, 

125 

Enos, 

125 

Frances  A., 

292 

Horace, 

124 

Josi^ph, 

125 

Lydia, 

174 

Noah,  Dea., 

124,  266 

Theodore,  Rev., 

292 

COOKE. 

Daniel  J., 

246 

Daniel  J.,  Mrs., 

246 

David  B., 

246 

Sarah  M  , 

247 

COOLEY. 

Timothy  C, 

292 

COOPER. 

Charles  W.,  Dr., 

292 

Rebecca, 

177 

CORNISH. 

Emerson  D., 

292 

COUCH. 

Lewis  B., 

292 

Mark  E., 

292 

CRANE. 

D.  M.,  Rev., 

253,  293 

Helen  A., 

254 

CURTISS. 
Henry,  46,  176 

GUSHING. 
Caleb,  224 

CUTLER. 
Abel,  Rev.,  228,  293 

DANIELS. 

Jane  S.,  241 

Mary  B.,  373 

DAVENPORT. 

Joseph  N.,  293 

Sebert  E.,  293 

DAY. 

George  E.,  Prof.,  293 

Jonathan,  162 

Luke,  163 

William  H.,  293 

DELANO. 
Charles,  Esq.,  294,  356 

DENNISTON. 
E.  E.,  Dr.,  294 

DEWEY. 

Chas.  A.,  Judge,  {  j^J;  J^S 

Chas.  A.,  Jr., 
David  L., 

Francis  H.,  Judge, 
George  Clinton, 
Lucy  E., 

DEWOLF. 
Oscar,  Dr., 

DICKINSON 


295 
159 

2y4 

295 
240 


895 


127 
296 
296 
295 
123 
295 
110,  257 
131 
295 
295 


118,  296 


Belinda, 
Charles  H., 
C.  H.,  Jr.,  Dr., 
Edward, 
Eunice, 
Henry  D., 
Joel  L.,  Rev., 
Josiah, 
Lewis  E., 
Sidney, 

DUDLEY. 
Lewis  J.,  Hon., 

DUNLAP. 
James,  Dr., 

DWIGHT. 

Benjamin  W..  Dr.,  27,  298 
Benjamin  Woodbridge,  27 
Caroline  W.,  234 

Daniel.  Rev.,  296 

Erastus,  121 

Henry  A.,  Rev.,  299 

Henry  E.,  70 

Henry.  Capt.,  169 

John  L.,  299 

Josiah,  Hon.,  204,  207 


296 


VIII 


IXDiJS. 


Margaret, 

118, 

238 

Nathaniel,  Rev. 

5   * 

121, 
169, 

122 
298 

Rhoda, 

78 

Robert  0.,  Rev. 

? 

78, 

299 

Robert  O.,  Esq. 

> 

299 

Theodore, 

297 

Timothy,  Col., 

\ 

16,78 
120,  169 

Timothy,  Maj.,: 

121, 

204, 

296 

Timothy,  Pres., 

26 

179 

297 

Timothy, 

298 

Timothy  E., 

298 

William  Cecil, 

299 

EARLE. 

Pliny,  Dr., 

SCO 

EDEN 

. 

John, 

300 

EDWARDS 

Alexander, 

112, 

158 

Anna  C, 

114, 

372 

Ann  Maria, 

78, 

236 

Asa, 

140 

Asa  P., 

140 

Asenath, 

228 

Bela  B.,  Prof., 

112 

Benjamin, 

116 

Charles, 

113 

Ebenezer, 

51, 

159, 

182 

Esther,  Mrs., 

23, 

221 

Franklin, 

302 

Henry  L., 

301 

Jane, 

140 

Jerusha, 

222 

I 

20,38 

Jonathan,  Rev., 

\ 

121, 

191 

I 

263, 

goo 

Jonathan,  Jr.,  Rev 

•1 

301 

Joseph, 

140 

Justin,  Rev., 

117, 

112 

Lucy, 

159 

Mary, 

12- 

Medad, 

139,  52 

M  indwell, 

116 

Nancy, 

181 

Nathaniel, 

27, 

112, 

158 

Nathaniel,  Jr., 

112, 

159 

Nathaniel,  3d, 

158, 

204 

Pieirepont,  Judge, 

69, 

301 

Rache  , 

208 

Samuel,  Dea., 

112 

Samuel,  Jr., 

112 

Sarah,  Mrs., 

140 

Sarah  Holmes, 

234 

Timothy,  Hon., 

6S 

,77, 

300 

Timothy.  Rev., 

216 

William  T.,  Col. 

,  77, 204,235 

ELIOT. 

Joseph,  Rev., 

302 

ELLIS. 


Arthur  B., 
Edward  C, 
Rufus,  Rev., 
William  R., 


302 

302 

241,  302 

302 


ELLSWORTH. 
James, 


126 


EL  WELL. 

GORHAM. 

Levi  H., 

303 

Daniel  D., 

307 

ELY. 

Mary  E., 

372 

Robert  S., 

371 

Richard,  Rev., 

223 

William  O., 

307 

William, 

223 

GOULD. 

FERRY. 

Albert,  Rev., 

308 

C.  B.,  Rev., 

303 

Ashley  M., 

308 

Henry  M., 

181 

Martha  E., 

255 

Hiram, 

181 

Nathan  P., 

255 

Sydenham, 

181 

FIELD. 

GRANT. 

Mary, 

134 

Matthew, 

GRAVES. 

19 

FISHER. 

Edward  T., 

304 

Elisha.                        141 
Elisha  Jr.. 

,  168 
143 

Francis  Porter, 

304 

J   J  Jk  A  kj  L^  ^"^  ^       ^^                  ) 

H    R 

14.^ 

Frederick  Pitkin, 

304 

1— L(     SJ  ,  ^ 

Lucretia, 

181 

George 

303 

George  H., 

304 

GREEN. 

Jonathan,  Rev., 

303 

Roxana  B., 

372 

Sarah  G., 

246 

William,  Rev., 

803 

GREENE. 

FISK. 

Charlotte, 

252 

Arthur  L., 

371 

William,  Gov., 

252 

Nina  B., 

373 

GRTSWOLD. 

Samuel  A.,  Dr., 

304 

Samuel  Augustus,  Dr. 

,  304 

George,  Rev., 

308 

FLINT. 

GUILD. 

Austin,  Dr., 

304 

George  E.,  Rev., 

255 

Austin,  Jr.,  Dr., 

305 

HALE. 

FORBES. 

Edward, 

308 

Charles  E.,  Hon., 

305 

Philip, 
W.  B., 

308 
308 

FORD 

HALL. 

Thomas, 

89 

Alfred  M., 

371 

FOLEY. 

Chauncey,  Dr., 

309 

James, 

305 

Edward  B., 
George  A., 

309 
371 

FRENCH. 

Gordon,  Rev.,           253 

,  309 

Clara, 

Stiles, 

373 
306 

Gordon  R.,  Dr., 
Junius  M.,  Dr., 

309 
309 

FRISBEE. 

HALLOCK. 

Edward  S..  D.  D., 

306 

Jeremiah,  Rev., 

27 

FROST. 

HAMILTON. 

Dorcas, 

195 

Alexander, 

222 

GAYLORD. 

HAMMOND. 

Edward  E.,  Dr., 

306 

Charles,  Rev., 

251 

GERE. 

John  C,  Esq., 

310 

Collins  H.. 

307 

HANCHETT. 

Edward, 
William, 

306 
306 

Thomas,  Dea., 

264 

GILFILLAN. 

HARDING. 

Catharine, 

372 

E.  B.,  Dr., 

310 

James, 
Jane, 

307 
372 

HASKINS. 

Thomas,  Dr., 

307 

J.  R.,  Rev., 

254 

GOODWIN. 

HASTINGS. 

Ellen  J., 

372 

Frank  D., 

371 

INDEX. 


IX 


HAWLEY. 


Dorothy, 
Ebeuezer, 
Elisha,  Capt., 
Elizabeth, 
Joseph,  Lieut., 
Joseph,  Capt., 

Joseph,  Maj., 

Lydia, 
Alei-cy, 
Rebecca, 
Thomas,  Rev., 


73,  219 
169 
169 
169 

iro 

32,  16*^,  310 
J  26.  33,  73 
\  267,  310 
109 
171 
169 
310 


HEALEY. 


Louisa, 


250 


HENSHAW. 


311 

128 


John  H., 
Madam, 
Samuel,  Judge,  75,  128,  3l0 

HIBBEN. 


James,  Dea., 
James,  Jr.. 

HIGBEE. 
E.  W.,  Dr., 

HILL. 

Abraham,  Rey., 
David,  Ebq., 

HILLARD. 

George, 

HILLMAN. 

Harriet  L., 

HILLS. 
Charles  D.,  Rev., 

HILLYER. 

Winthrop, 

HINCKLEY. 
George, 


311 
311 


311 


220 
312 


311 


373 


311 


26 


312 

201,  313 

223,  312 

312 

313 


Henry  R., 
Samuel,  Judge, 
Samuel  L.,  Esq., 
Samuel  Parker, 

HITCHCOCK. 

Daniel,  313 

Elwia  E.,  Rev.,  255 

HODGES. 

Horace  I.,  Esq.,  313 

HOLLAND. 

Josiah  G.,  Dr.,  170,  313 

HOLTON. 
Mary, 


Sarah, 
William, 

HOLWAY. 
Wesley  O., 


46 
120 
264 


313 


HOOKER. 

John,  Rev.,  143,  172,  213, 313 
John,  Hon.,  144,  314 

Lucy,  144,  277 

Mary,  143,  225 

Sarah,  95,  143 

William,  144 

HOPKINS. 

Edward  W.,  315 

Erastus,  Rev.,  240,  314 

Elizabeth,  252 

George,  315 

John,  Capt.,  231 

Lewis  S.,  Dr.,  314 

Mark,  Pres.,  79 

Samuel,  Rev.,   234,  252,  313 

Sarah  Ann  Wait,  231 

W.  S.  B.,  Col.,  240,  315 

HOXIE. 

D.  E., 
Mrs.  H.  B., 

HOVEY. 
H.  C,  Rev., 

HOWE. 

Este.s,  Dr., 
Samuel,  Judge, 

HUBBARD. 


159 
159 


23,  315 


316 
316 


Fordyce  M.,  Rev.,   233,  316 

John  P.,  Rev.,  316 

Marshall,  Mrs.,  131 

R.  B.,  Rev.,  316 

Ruswell,  233 

Roxana  H.,  374 

HUDSON. 

Erasmus  D.,  Dr.,  317 

Erasmus  D.,  Jr.,  Dr.,  317 

Henry  N.,  Rev.,  250 


HUGHS. 
George  W.,  Rev., 


3i: 


186 


52 


liUGGERFORD. 

Mrs., 

HUMPHREY. 
Hervey, 


HUNT. 

Abner, 
Beulah, 
Clemenza, 
David,  Dr., 

Ebenezer,  Dr., 

Ebenezer,  Jr., 
Ebenezer,Dea.,  104,  128  267 

62,  105 
374 
108 

17,  62 

63,  317 


62 

104 

102 

109,  318 

J  17,  25,  86 

I     204,  318 

26,  318 


Elijah, 

Eunice  A 

Hannah, 

John,  Capt., 

John,  Rev., 

Jonathan,  2d.,  Dea.,       268 

Jonathan,  Dea.,  61,  102,  264 

Jonathan,  Capt.,      104,  105 


108 
127 
317 
374 
219 
220 
104 
22S 
374 

27 
318 

26 


319 
319 


Jonathan,  Lieut.,  |      ' 

Joseph,  62, 

Luther, 

Martha,  104, 

Martha,  2d, 

Mary, 

Mary,  2d,  193, 

Medad, 

Samuel  Wells, 

Seth.  Col..  26, 

Seth,  Gov., 

HUNTINGTON. 

C.  P.,  Judge,      127,  276, 
Charles  W.,  Esq., 

HUTCHINSON. 
Mary,  137 

HUSSEY. 
Albert  C,  Rev.,  319 

JAMES. 
Malachi,  Capt.,  71 

JANES. 
Frederick,  Rev.,  238 

JEFFERSON. 
A.  W.,  Rev.,  319 

JENKINS. 
Wm.  L.,  Rev.,  320 

JEWETT. 

Ansel,  166 

Betsey,  167 

Timothy,  166 

JOHNSON. 
Laban  H.,  320 

JUDD. 

Asenath,  154 
Chauncey  P.,  Esq.,         321 

David  C,  ^6 

Eunice,  146,  154 

Hophni,  320 

Jonathan,  Rev.,  220,  320 

Jonathan,  Jr.,  320 

Maria,  146 

Mary,  153 

Melissa,  246 

Samuel,  66,  145 

Susan,  255 

Sylvester,  97,  196 

Sylvester  J.,  Rev.,  321 

Thomas,  145 

Warham,  155 

William,  154,  255 

KELLOGG. 

Prudence,  143 

Sarah  D.,  372 

KEMPER. 
Jackson,  Rev.,  232 

KETCHUM. 
Edgar,  Esq.,  232 


INDEX. 


KIDDER. 
Kate  W., 

KING. 

Experience, 
John,  Capt., 
John,  Lieut., 
Sarah, 


373 


120 

13.  120 

120 

140 


KINGSLEY. 


26,  ).72 
139,  272 
137 
137 
249 
139,  321 
137 
137 
269 
269 
111 
137 
111 
137 
267 


105 


C.  B.,  Dea., 

Daniel,  Dea.,     131 

Dauioi, 

Euos, 

Esther, 

George, 

Jemima, 

Joseph, 

Judith, 

Moses.  Dea., 

Samuel, 

Samuel,  Jr., 

Sarah, 

Strong, 

Supply,  Dea., 

KIRBY. 
Jane, 

KNAPP. 

James  E..  Rev.,  255 

KNIGHT. 

Harriet  B.,  249 

Merrick,  Rev.,  321 

Joseph,  Dr.,  249 

Joseph,  Rev.,  249 

KNOWLTON. 

Charles  L.,  Dr.  321 

LANE. 

Ebenezer,  Hon.,  321 

LANKTON 

Samuel,  131 

Sarah,  131 

LANSING. 

Rev.,  Dr.,  218 

LATHE. 

Herbert  W.,  Rev.,  322 

LATHROP. 

Rev.  Dr..  219 

William  M.,  322 

LAWRENCE. 

Amos,  248 

LEARNED. 

Dwight  W.,  245 

John  B.,  Dr.,  322 

Robert,  Rev..  245 

LEAVITT. 

Joshua,  225,  229 

Wm.  S.,  Rev.,     20,  230,  322 


LEE. 

Catharine, 
Cornelia  F., 

LELAND. 

John,  Rev., 
Rev.  Dr., 

LEONARD. 

Josiah,  Rev., 

LESLEY. 

J.  Peter, 

LEWIS. 
John  N.,  Rev., 


LOOK. 


Charity, 
Frank  N. 


LOUD. 


372 
244 


226 
226 


256 

248 

235 


155 
323 


323 


Watson, 

LOVELAND. 

Eli,  Mrs.,  182 

LYMAN. 

Abigail,  50 

Ann,  232 

Asahel,  152 

Benjamin  Smith,  328 

Caleb,  Dea.,        67,  100,  218 

Clarissa,  230 

Daniel,  323 

David  H.,  327 

Elias,  110 

Elias,  2d,  151 

Elihu,  323 

Elisha,  90 

E.  H.  R.,  130,  148 

Ephraim,  Rev.,  326 

Erastus,  Maj.,  179 

Eunice,  173,  226 

Frank,  329 

Prank  C,  329 

Frank  H.,  69 

Frederick  W.,  69 

Gad,  68, 226 

George  Hinckley,  327 

Hannah,  50,  105 

Hannah  H.,  248 

Hart,  328 

Henry,  Rev.,  326 

Isaac,  Rev.,  323 

James  Fowler,  328 

Jerusha,  232 

Job,  Hon.,  71,  325 

Job,  Dr.,  324 

John,  Chester,  327 

John,  Chester,  2d,  329 

John,  Capt.,  203 

John,  Lieut.,       58,  110,  202 

John,  Jr.,  Lieut.,  109,  145 
Jonathan  H.,  Esq.,          327 

Jonathan  H.,  Jr.,  Dr.,  j  ^^g 

Joseph,  Rev.,  D.  D.,        188 

Joseph,  90 

Joseph,  2d.,  326 

Joseph,  247,  324 


Joseph,  Jr., 
Joseph,  3d., 
Joseph,  4th, 
Levi, 
Martha, 
Mercy, 
Micah  Jones, 
Moses,  Capt., 
Phebe, 
Phineas, 
Pliineas,  Gen., 
Rachel, 
Richard, 
Richard,  2d, 
Robert, 
Robert  W., 

Samuel  F.,  Judge, 

Simeon,  71, 

Submit, 
Susan  Inches, 
Theodore, 
Theodore,  2d, 
Timothy, 
William,  Capt., 
William,  Gen., 

MALTBY. 

Anson,  Esq., 
Marshall, 

MAMINASH. 

Sally, 

MANSFIELD. 

G.  W.,  Rev., 

MANLY. 
Gilbert, 

MARPLE. 
Wilbur  B., 

MARSHALL. 

Lydia, 
Samuel,  Capt., 

MASON. 

Charles,  Rev., 
Clemence,  Mrs., 
Ebenezer  P., 
Jeremiah, 
John, 


223 

326 

328 

138 

238 

90 

90,  324 

105,  200 

93 

170,  323 

172 

136 

40,89 

205 

110,  158 

328 

j  77.  248 

I        325 

152,  325 

51 

247 

90,  204 

325 

324 

233 

152,  324 


329 
329 


126 


330 


329 


330 


168 
168 


248 

66 

330 

188 

39 


MATHER. 
Eleazar,  Rev., 


(  19,  10 
■{  174,  20 
I  215,  33 


Elisha,  Dr., 
Esther,  Mrs., 
Eunice, 
Martha, 
Richard,  Rev 
Samuel,  Dr., 
Samuel,  Jr.,  Dr., 
Timothy, 


19,  104 
200 
330 

211 

145,  215 

104,  216 

123 

174 

25,  211,  331 

331 

17 


Warham,  27,  34,  330 

MATSON. 
Wm.  N.,  Esq.,  96 


INDEX. 


XI 


57, 


105, 
jl04, 
1  223, 


130 
197 
236 
197 


22:3 
106 
332 
332 
226 
223 


McCLOUD. 
LucyC,  373 

MEACHEM. 
Joseph,  Rev.,  216 

MEEKINS. 
Thomas  W.,  331 

MERWIN. 
Samuel  J.  M.,  253 

MILLER. 

Abraham,  Mrs., 

John, 

Julia, 

Lucy, 

MILLS 

Benjamin,  Rev., 

Elijah  H.,  Hon., 

Elijah  H.,  Jr., 

Rev., 

Sarah, 

MITCHELL. 

Alfred,  217 

John,  Rev.,  332 

Stephen  Mix.,  217 

Walter  G.,  332 

William  Ward,  332 

MIX. 

Stephen,  217 

MOODY. 
Leander,  159 

Samuel,  Rev.,  94 

MORTON. 
Elizabeth,  373 

MOSELY. 

Ebenezer,  Col.,  223 

Ebenezer,  Hon.,  224 

MOTLEY. 
John  L.,  Hon.,  333 

MOYCE. 
Patrick  D.,  333 

MUENSCHER. 
Joseph,  Rev.,  333 

MUNDE. 
Charles,  333 

Paul  P.,  333 

MUNYAN. 
Jonathan,  198 

MYERS. 

Joseph  H.,  Rev.,  252 

Peter  J.  H.,  252 

NEWBURY. 
Sarah,  126 

NILES. 
Mark  H.,  Rev.,  234 


NIMS. 
Edward  B.,  Dr., 

NOBLE. 
Hannah, 

NOWELL. 
W.  H.,  Dea., 

O'DONXELL. 
John  B., 


334 

93 

272 


334 
334 


T.  B., 

OTHEMAN. 
Edward  B.,  334 

OTIS. 
Harry  P.,  334 

PARK. 

Edwards  A.,  Prof.,    78,  236 
William  E.,  Rev.,  236 

PARKHURST. 


Charles  H.,  Rev., 
L.  B.,  Dr., 

PARISH. 
Oliver, 

PARSONS. 


255 
334 


326 


Abigail, 

Anna  A., 

Anne, 

Annie  O., 

Benjamin, 

Daniel, 

David,  Rev., 

David,  Jr..  Rev., 

David,  Rev.,  D.  D 

Ebenezer, 

Ebenezer,  Capt., 

Ellen  C. 

Elihu, 

Elijah,  Rev. 

Elvira, 

Enos,  Esq., 

Fanny, 

Hannah, 

Harriet, 

Hattie  P., 

Hugh, 

Isaac, 

Jacob, 

Joseph,  Cornet, 


122,  143 
372 
226 
373 

130,  190 
189 

132,  335 

235 

244 

146 

190 

372 

190 

132,  142,  335 

257 

161 

142 

131 

249 

373 

16 

131 

104 

J  140,  167 

(  187 


Joseph,  Esq.   68,122,130,187 

Joseph  B.,  Col.,  137 

Joseph,  Rev.,  47.  129.  205 

Joseph  C,  336 

Joseph  Clark,  68 

Joseph,  3d,  188 

Joseph,  4th,  189 

Joseph,  5th,  189 

John,  49 

John,  Jr.,  ia2 

John  R.,  Maj.,  336 

John,  Lieut.,  129,  159,  201 

Jonathan,  132 

Josiah,  140,  189 

Josiah,  Jr.,  142 


Justus,  117,  256 

Levi,  Rev.,  335 

Levi,  Jr.,  Rev.,  336 

Lewis,  117 

Lewis,  Mrs.,  2x?6 

Lucy,  152,  163 

Medad,  190 
Moses,                 1-32,  205.  249 

Myra,  372 

Naomi,  143 
Noah,  Sr.,    116,  116.  168,  189 

Noah.  Jr.,  117,  226 

Oliver,  130 

Phineas,  131 

Rhoda,  130 

Samuel,  Capt.,  131,  132 

Samuel,  141 

Samuel  L.,  132 

Sarah,  132 

Sarah  Ann,  256 

Sarah  L.,  372 

Simeon,  190 

Simeon,  Jr.,  190 

Smith,  138 

Spencer.  Mrs.,  161 

Theodore,  Mrs.,  138 

Thomas,  189 

Timothy,  117 

William,  Maj.,  129 

Warham,  190 

PARTRIDGE. 

Betsey,  374 

Colonel,  121,  170 

Hannah,  71 


Mrs., 


PEASE. 


PECK. 


138 


Gustavus  D.,  Dr.,  336 

PELTON. 
Betsey,  197 

PENNY. 


Joseph,  Rer., 

PHELPS. 

Charles, 
Ebenezer, 
Ebenezer  S.,  Dea., 
Henry  L. , 
Martin.  Dr., 
Moses  Stuart, 

Nathaniel,  Dea.,   < 

Nathaniel,  Lieut., 

Rachel, 

Solomon, 

Sylvanus, 

Timothy, 

William, 

PHOENIX. 

Alexander,  Rev.,  -| 

Daniel  Sidney, 

PICKARD. 
Daniel, 


336 


119 
118 

119,  270 
337 
337 
337 

117,  118 

208,  265 
119 
149 
337 
136 
118 

117,  118 


229,  231 
338 
232 


338 


XII 


INDEX. 


PIERCE. 

Benjamin,  Prof., 
Franklin, 
James  Mills, 
John,  Rev., 

PIERPONT. 
John,  Rev., 

PIXLEY. 

Martin  S., 
Stephen  C,  Rev., 


223.  338 
338 
223 
227 


224 


338 
250 


PLANT. 


89, 


103, 
215. 
339, 


Alfred, 

POMEROY. 

Asahel, 
Betsey, 
Daniel,  Maj., 
Daniel,  Lieut., 
Ebenezer,  Dea.,        181, 
Ebenezer,  Maj.,   32,  99, 
Gains,  102, 

John,  Capt., 
Jonathan  Law, 
Josiah,  Ensign, 
Lemuel, 

Medad,  Dea.,    -j  ^^ 

Medad,  Dr., 

Mehitable, 

Moses, 

Pliny, 

Polly, 

Quartus, 

Samuel,  Rev., 

Seth,  Gen., 

Seth,  Rev., 

Simeon, 

Thaddeus, 

Thankful, 

Thomas,  Col., 

Thomas  M., 

William, 

PORTER. 

Samuel, 
Samuel,  Dr. 

PRATT. 

Grotius, 
William  O. 

PRENTISS. 
Henry  C, 

PRINCE. 

William  H., 

PRINCELY. 

Phillip, 

QUIRK. 
Anna  M. 

RAYNOR. 
Charlotte  W. 


339 


102 
227 
162 
102 
266 
102 
229 
102 
101 
102 
101 
176 
264 
101 
120 

51 
101 
101 
223 
339 

54 
339 

50 
339 

69 
101 

52 
101 


141 
143 


197 
340 


REEVE. 


Judge, 


340 
340 
209 
373 
372 
222 


RICHARDS. 

James,  Rev.  230 

William,  Rev.  230 

William,  Jr.,  Rev.  230 

ROBERTS. 
O.  0.,  Dr.  340 

ROGERS. 
Ebenezer  P.,  Rev.  340 

ROOD. 
David,  Mrs.  250 

ROOT. 

Ebenezer,  341 

Elihu,  Lieut.  51 

Jesse,  Hon.  74,  341 

Oliver,  91 

RUSSELL. 
Jerusha,  149 

RUST. 
Nathaniel,  131 

SALISBURY. 

Arethusa,  253 

SAMPSON. 
William  H.  341 

SANFORD. 

Addison,  229 

James,  Rev.  228 

James,  Mrs.  228 

John,  Rev.  228 

John  E.,  Hon.  229 

SAWYER, 
Eleanor  F.  373 

SEARLE. 

John,  Rev.  341 

SEEGER, 

Charles  L. ,  Dr.  341 

Edwin,  Dr.  342 

SEELYE. 
L.  Clark,  Prest.  342 

SERGEANT. 
Caroline  B.  373 

SEWARD. 
Samuel,  342 

SEYMOUR. 
Christopher,  Dr.,  342 

SHAW. 
Samuel,  Dr.  174 

SHEEHAN. 
J.  T.,  Rev.  342 

SHELDON. 

Benjamin,  Dr.  343 

Caleb.  195 

Catharine,  226 

David  S.  343 

[Concluded  on  page  375.] 


Ebenezer,  191 

Ebenezer,  Mrs.  193 

Ebenezer,  Jr.  193 

Ebenezei,  Ensign,  193 

Edward  W.  344 

Elias,  193 

George,  Hon.  192 
George,Rev.  195,226,238,343 

George  W.  343 

Hannah.  Ill 

Henry  Isaac,  343 
Isaac,  Sr.            178,  191,  204 

Isaac,  Jr.,  192 

Isaac,  3d,  195 

Jerusha,  222 

John,  135 

John,  Ensign,  192 
Marv,                          114,  135 

Miriam,  147 

Sarah,  141 

Silence,  220 

Thankful.  178 

Theodore,  195 

Theodore,  344 

Thomas,  265 

SHEPHERD. 


Charles, 
Levi,  Dr. 
Levi.  Mrs. 
Stella, 
Thomas, 


193,  344 

88,  193,  234 

193 

234 

193 


SILSBEE. 

Joseph  L.  344 

William,  Rev.  252,  344 

SILSBY. 

John,  Prof.  247 

SITGREAVES. 
Samuel,  Rev.  232 

SKILTON. 

Ida,  373 

SLOANE. 


Jonathan,  Hon. 

344 

SMEAD. 

William, 

128 

SMITH. 

Albert,  Rev. 

237 

Alvah, 

115 

Arthur  H.,  Rev., 

237 

Benjamin  Eli, 

242 

Charles, 

146 

Charles  P., 

345 

Charles  Henry, 

242 

Eli,  Rev. 

195,  226 

Eli,  Rev.,  D.  D. 

242 

Edward  R. 

242 

Henry  B.,  Prof. 

240 

Henry  G. 

345 

Hermon, 

163 

Horace, 

345 

James, 

162 

Jonathan, 

257 

Justin, 

115 

Lewis, 

146 

Mary, 

257 

Milo, 

146 

ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

EARLY   TIMES   IN    NORTHAxMPTON. 

Being  the  first,  so-called,  in  the  United  States,  a  few 
words  in  commencing  as  to  the  origin  of  its  name.  !S ap- 
posed to  be  taken  from  the  native  town,  Northampton,  in 
England,  of  one  of  the  prominent  settlers,  Capt.  John  King, 
a  man  of  intelligence  and  worth,  himself  and  family  held  in 
high  repute  among  the  people.  Master  King,  long  a  noted 
school  teacher,  a  hundred  years  ago,  more  or  less,  was  a  de- 
scendant. So,  also,  was  Experience  King,  wife  of  Ool.  Tim- 
othy D wight,  the  mother  of  Major  Timothy,  the  trader,  se- 
lectman, town  recorder,  etc.,  six  feet  and  four  inches  high. 
Such  was  the  origin  of  the  name,  Northampton.  If  not 
given  by  Capt.  King  himself,  it  was  done  by  the  settlers  out 
of  respect  to   him. 

Pass  to  the  topic  of  Northampton  roads  in  early  times. 
In  tills  matter,  ^*old  things  have  passed  away."  For  the 
first  ten  years,  from  165-4  till  the  spring  of  1GG4,  there 
seems  not  to  have  been  a  road  of  any  description.  Only  a 
horse  path  from  the  south,  entered  the  settlement,  and  a 
similar  one  from  Hadley.      At  length   a   communication  with 


14  AN^TIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

the  outside  world,  and  especially  with  the  metropolis,  at 
Boston,  seemed  necessary,  the  first  road  was  laid  to  Windsor, 
Ct.,  in  1664.  Over  this  track,  wheat  was  conveyed  in  carts 
and  rudely  constructed  wagons,  to  Hartford,  and  there  ship- 
ped for  Boston  for  the  payment  of  taxes.  A  road  to  Had- 
ley  about  the  same  time,  connected  that  place  with  North- 
ampton, Springfield,  Hartford  and  Boston.  What  we  call 
streets,  such  as  King,  Pleasant,  Market,  Hawley,  nothing  of 
the  kind,  strictly  speaking,  existed  for  many  years.  Only 
foot  paths  led  from  house  to  house.  The  foregoing  prepares 
the  way  for  what  may  be  said  respecting  the  mode  of  travel- 
ing and  of  riding,  then  in  practice.  Without  roads,  for  the 
most  part  there  was  little  occasion  for  pleasure  carriages, 
wagons,  sleighs,  and  the  like.  Not  till  the  first  hundred 
years  closed  was  there  seen  a  i:)leasure  vehicle  in  the  town. 
Mr.  Nathaniel  D wight,  a  trader  and  farmer,  who  originated 
in  Dedham  and  settled  in  this  town  in  1695,  was  the  first 
owner  of  what  was  called  a  sleigh,  having  plank  runners. 
The  common  mode  of  riding  and  journeying,  was  on  horse- 
back. Thus  people  rode  to  church,  husbands  and  wives  on 
the  same  horse.  Easthampton  people,  for  a  long  period, 
previous  to  1785,  came  to  church  at  Northampton  on  horse- 
back. The  young  people  walked  to  meeting.  Southampton 
people  did  the  same,  previous  to  1737.  Mr.  Edwards,  the 
minister,  performed  all  his  journeys  to  New  Haven,  Boston, 
and  once  in  1747  to  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  on  horseback. 
Frequently  some  member  of  the  family  accompanied  him  on 
the  same  horse.  There  is  a  tradition  in  the  family  of  some 
of  the  Strongs,  that  when  their  ancestor,  Eev.  John  Hooker, 
fourth  minister  of  Northampton,  was  married,  viz.:  at 
Springfield,  1755,  at  Ool.  Worthington's  house,  the  bride, 
Sarah  Wortliington,  a  sister  of   the  Colonel,  rode  from  S])ring- 


EARLY    TIMES    IN    NORTHAMPTON.  15 

field  to  her  new  home  at  Northampton,  on  horseback,  ac- 
cording to  the  etiquette  of  that  period,  on  a  pillion  behind 
one  of  Mr.  Hooker's  deacons.  What  another  has  said  will 
give  us  some  idea  of  the  slow  progress  of  this  mode  of 
traveling  in  those  times.  "It  was  a  week's  journey  for  a 
man  and  a  horse  to  go  to  Boston;  the  path  was  distinguish- 
able by  marks  cut  upon  the  trees  through  the  long  stretch 
of  forest  between  the  two  places."  How  changed  since  then! 
Now,  in  the  early  part  of  the  month  of  July,  the  journey 
down  and  back  can  be  performed  on  the  same  day  between 
the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun. 

Instead  of  a  few  lines,  an  extended  chapter  might  be  given 
respecting  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Northampton  at  the 
time  under  consideration.  In  Windsor,  Ct.,  in  1670,  thirty- 
five  years  after  its  first  settlement,  there  were  nineteen  In- 
dians to  one  white  person.  The  long  continued  precautions 
in  Northampton  for  nearly  ninety  years,  show  the  danger  ap- 
2n*ehended  from  this  quarter.  Agriculture  was  confined  to 
the  soil  not  far  from  home.  No  field  could  be  cleared,  no 
labor  done  with  safety,  even  in  the  nearest  forested  grounds. 
"The  unfortunate  laborer  Avas  sometimes  shot  where  he  sup- 
2:)0sed  an  Indian  enemy  would  never  venture."  The  Hon. 
John  Stoddard,  sometimes  called  Col.  Stoddard,  once  came 
near  being  killed  by  an  ambush  of  savages  who  lay  in  wait 
for  him  at  a  farm,  Avhich  he  had,  only  one  mile  west  of  the 
center.  One  of  his  laborers  was  killed,  but  he  with  the  rest 
escaped. 

Omitting  other  points,  that  of  the  fashions  for  instance, 
a  few  words  about  the  wearing  apparel  of  the  people.  The 
few  traders  in  the  community  dealt  very  sparingly,  if  at  all, 
in  what  may  be  called  dress  goods.  Cloths  for  the  men  and 
women  were  of    home   manufacture.      Somewhat    coarse,    but 


16  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

substantial,  often  lasting  a  numljcr  of  years.  Quite  a  cnri- 
osity,  a  few  years  since,  was  an  old  Northampton  account 
book  of  one  of  the  leading  store-keepers,  previous  to  1760, 
and  afterward,  showing  among  other  things  that  the  most 
common  business  of  the  establishment  consisted  in  selling- 
nails  and  the  like  for  building  purposes;  buttons,  lining, 
twist,  silk  for  garments.  The  gowns  of  females  of  home 
manufacture  seemed  not  so  important  as  other  things  they 
wore.  Bonnets  not  being  used,  nothing  was  sold  belonging 
to  the  head,  and  very  little  for  the  feet.  The  ladies  did 
their  own  knitting,  thoroughly,  of  course.  Trimmings  for 
garments  met  with  an  extensive  sale.  Felt  hats  w^ere  com- 
mon with  the  men. 

Not  out  of  place,  an  item  or  two  respecting  an  article  now 
so  often  seen,  viz:  Tobacco.  Its  use  commenced  compara- 
tively early  in  the  history  of  the  community.  Probably  not 
kept  and  sold  at  first  by  traders.  Farmers  raised  it  in  lim- 
ited quantities,  not  for  the  market,  but  for  individual  or 
home  use.  Very  strict  rules,  however,  held  the  people  as  to 
the  use  of  the  article  publicly.  Take  the  following,  at 
Springfield,  June  29th,  1649:  Hugh  Parsons  was  fined  ten 
shillings  for  taking  tobacco  in  the  open  street.  Probably 
the  ladies  would  hold  up  both  hands  in  favor  of  such  a  law 
and  its  enforcement  at  the  present  day.  At  another  date  of 
the  same  year,  James  Bridgman  of  Springfield,  was  fined  for 
taking  tobacco  in  his  own  yard. 

It  is  an  easy  transition  from  tobacco  to  tea.  The  first 
ever  seen  in  Northampton,  was  sent  to  Col.  Dwight  by  a 
friend  in  Boston,  and  was  not  called  tea,  but  '^bohea."  It 
was  previous  to  1746.  In  their  ignorance  of  the  article,  the 
family  steeped  it — a  quarter  of  a  pound — all  up  at  once,  as 
they  would  make  an  herb  drink.  It  was  so  bitter  they 
could  not  drink  it,  and  threw  it  away  in  disgust. 


EARLY    TIMES    IN    NORTHAMPTOl^.  17 

The  following  may  interest  some:  The  only  painted  houses 
in  Northampton,  as  late  as  1781,  were  the  Dwight  House, 
John  Hunt's,  Caleb  Strong's,  Timothy  Mather's,  and  Dea. 
Ebenezer  Hunt's,  all  gambrel  roofs.  It  may  seem  a  small 
matter  to  insert  the  next  item,  but  it  will  be  new  to  many. 
It  was  at  one  time  a  disputed  point  among  some  of  the 
Northampton  circles,  whether  the  first  Dr.  Hunt's  wife  or 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Tappan  was  the  first  one  in  town  that  had  a 
carpet  on  her  floor.     But  passing  matters  of   this  kind. 

Before  closing,  three  particulars  will  be  added,  specially 
commendatory  of  those  early  times,  or  rather  of  the  people 
who  then  lived.  The  first  respects  the  subject  of  litigation. 
The  town  was  remarkably  free  from  this  j^ractice.  Col.  Tim- 
othy Dwight  used  to  boast  that  in  eighteen  years  of  his  life, 
in  which  he  was  in  full  practice  as  a  lawyer,  not  a  single 
suit  was  commenced  against  any  one  of  the  inliabitants.  It 
has  also  been  said,  though  it  may  not  be  true,  that  before 
the  revolutionary  war  no  inhabitant  of  the  town  sued  another 
for  debt.  The  second  relates  to  the  early  action  of  the  first 
settlers  in  the  matter  of  a  public  school.  A  deeply  interest- 
ing chapter.  It  shows  the  value  they  attached  to  learning; 
their  sacrifices  to  promote  it.  Notice  the  following  dates, 
bearing  in  mind  how  few  and  in  what  straightened  circum- 
stances the  people  were.  Had  a  different  policy  prevailed, 
never  would  the  history  of  the  town  have  been  what  it  has. 
In  1663  they  employed  a  school-master  at  six  pounds  and  the 
benefit  of  the  scholars.  That  is,  he  received  the  whole 
price  of  the  tuition  and  six  pounds  sterling  as  an  additional 
sum  paid  by  the  town.  In  1670,  when  incurring  extra  ex- 
penses for  various  purposes,  they  appropriated  100  acres  of 
land  for  the  use  of  the  school,  also  thirty  pounds  per  annum 
to  a  schoolmaster,  able  and  fit  to  teach  children  to  read  and 


18  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

write  English,  to  keep  and  cast  accounts.  Increased  appro- 
priations followed  from  time  to  time,  in  1G87,  1703,  1712, 
1725.  Showing  the  same  enlightened  views  from  one  genera- 
tion to  another.  Thus  from  the  earliest  times,  whatever 
the  burdens,  incident  to  their  situation,  pressing  upon  the 
people,  the  grammar  school,  so-called,  with  scarce  any  inter- 
mission, was  a  cherished  institution. 

The  third  respects  the  maintenance  of,  and  punctual  at- 
tendance of  the  people  on  the  public  institutions  of  religion. 
Dating  from  the  first  settlement,  for  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years,  no  place  in  New  England  exhibited  a  greater  regard 
for  the  sanctuary.  Fourteen  hundred  and  sixty  ])ersons  were 
once  counted  in  the  church  on  a  Sabbath  afternoon,  amount- 
ing to  five-sixths  of  the  inhabitants.  The  usual  proportion 
from  1654  to  1784.  Five  out  of  six,  eighty  out  of  ninety- 
six,  of  the  people  attended  church  regularly.  Only  little 
children,  the  sick,  the  extremely  aged,  and  those  in  atten- 
dance on  the  sick  were  absent  from  the  house  of  God  on  the 
Sabbath.  Please  notice  and  think  of  this  remarkable  fact. 
So  it  was  less  than  one  hundred  years  ago.  So  it  had  been 
in  the  town  from  the  beginning.  No  wonder  intelligence, 
good  order,  respect  for  the  laws,  harmony  and  good  neigh- 
borhood prevailed.  No  wonder  the  place  never  suffered  very 
severely  from  the  Indians,  though  it  suffered  some.  Again 
and  again  the  savages  prowled  around  it,  but  it  was  never 
destroyed.      Why?      "Them  that  honor  me  I  will  honor." 


CHAPTER    11. 

ESTHER  WARHAM  MATHER — NORTHAMPTON^'S  FIRST  MIKISTER'S 
WIFE— A  RESIDEIfT  SEVEKTY-SEVEN"  YEARS. — HER  REMARK- 
ABLE  LETTER. 

Historically  and  providentially  a  remarkable  woman.  Next 
to  Elder  John  Strong,  the  ancestor  of  the  Strong  family  of 
the  United  States,  may  be  placed  the  above;  her  name  on 
the  town  records  of  Windsor,  Ct.,  being  written  Hester 
Warham.  Notice  a  few  particulars.  The  first  respects  the 
date  of  her  birth,  ten  years  before  any  settlement  existed  in 
the  valley  of  the  Connecticut,  north  of  Springfield,  and  only 
a  short  period  after  the  first  colony  from  Dorchester  reached 
the  inviting  soil,  skirting  the  Connecticut  at  Windsor.  Early 
on  the  list  of  births  stands  her  name,  in  that  infant  province 
of  which  Wethersfield,  Hartford,  and  Windsor  were  the  chief 
localities.  Including  that  at  New  Haven,  just  coming  into 
being,  but  a  few  hundred  people  then  comprised  the  white 
population  of  her  native  state.  The  second  relates  to  her 
marriage  and  settlement  in  Northampton,  ever  after,  for  al- 
most eighty  years,  her  home.  A  copy  of  the  record  at 
Windsor,  made  by  Matthew  Grant,  a  long  time  ago,  and 
found  among  his  joapers,  x3arefully  ^ireserved,  says:  Eleazar 
Mather  and  Hester  Warham  were  married  Sept.  29,  1G59. 
Near  the  same  time  another,  already  named,  left  Windsor 
with  his  family  for  Northampton,    viz.,    Elder   John   Strong. 


20  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

A  valuable  accession  to  the  forty  or  more  settlers  here,  these 
two  families  proved,  whose  wonderful  career  had  then  just 
C(?mmenced.  It  was  truly  a  time  of  small  things.  No 
church  organization  existed;  a  plain  structure,  twenty-six 
feet  long,  eighteen  wide  with  one  door  and  two  windows,  hav- 
ing a  thatched  roof,  received  the  people  on  the  Sabbath  for 
religious  worship.  Only  at  and  near  the  center  did  the  set- 
tlers live,  viz.,  on  Pleasant,  King,  Hawley,  and  Market 
streets.  Tradition  says  that  Mr.  Mather's  home  lot  bordered 
on  Main  street,  now  occupied  by  Shop  Eow.  All  told,  the 
population  did  not  much  exceed,  perhaps  it  fell  below,  two 
hundred.  Across  the  river  at  Hadley,  then  called  Newtown, 
the  first  steps  were  being  taken  preparatory  to  settlement. 
North  as  far  as  Canada,  and  West  nearly  to  Albany,  lay  a 
vast,  unbroken  wilderness.  The  third,  respects  the  long  pe- 
riod of  her  connection  with  the  Northampton  church  through 
her  two  husbands,  Mr.  Mather  and  Mr.  Stoddard,  and  her 
grandson,  and  two  other  pastors  in  the  direct  line  of  her  de- 
scendants, extending,  as  the  figures  will  show,  over  a  space 
of  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years.  With  her  first 
husband  she  lived  about  ten  years  until  July  24,  1669.  Five 
years  afterward  she  married  his  successor.  Rev.  Mr.  Stoddard, 
with  whom  she  lived  till  his  death,  February,  1729,  fifty-five 
years.  Jonathan  Edwards,  her  grandson,  followed  Mr.  Stod- 
dard, his  pastorate  covering  an  interval  of  twenty-three 
years.  The  fifth  pastor.  Rev.  Solomon  Williams,  her  great- 
great-grandson,  was  settled  fifty-six  years.  Taking  no  note 
of  another  descendant,  colleague  for  two  years  of  the  pre- 
ceding, viz..  Rev.  Samuel  P.  Williams,  afterwards  at  New- 
buryport,  one  more  remains.  Rev.  William  S.  Leavitt,  grand- 
son of  Rev.  Solomon  Williams,  and  therefore  in  the  seventh 
generation  from  Mrs.   Mather,  afterward  Mrs.  Stoddard.     Add 


ESTHER    WARHAM     MATHER.  21 

to  the  above  ten,  fifty-five,  twenty-tliree,  fifty-six,  fourteen  for 
Mr.  Leavitt,  Ave  have  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  years,  the 
period,  so  to  speak,  of  her  connection,  through  these  differ- 
ent pastors,  husbands  and  descendants,  with  the  First  church. 
In  the  foregoing,  nothing  has  been  said  of  the  twelve  years 
of  widowhood,  five  after  Mr.  Mather's  decease  and  seven  af- 
ter Mr.  Stoddard's.  Surely,  it  may  be  said,  ^' Being  dead 
she  yet  sj^eaketh."  The  fourth,  respects  the  number  of  in- 
fluential families  in  the  ever  increasing,  widening  circle  of 
her  posterity.  She  was  the  honored  mother  of  thirteen  chil- 
dren who  grew  uj)  to  manhood  and  womanhood,  three  by 
Mr.  Mather  and  ten  by  Mr.  Stoddard.  What  seems  remark- 
able, these  thirteen  were  respectably  settled  in  life,*  having 
families  of  their  own,  making  the  number  of  her  children, 
sons  and  daughters-in-law,  twenty-six.  These  thirteen  fami- 
lies, walking  in  the  steps  of  their  godly  parents,  reared, 
nearly  all  of  them,  sons  and  daughters,  often  a  large  house- 
hold. There  will  not  be  time  to  particularize  on  this  point. 
They  lived,  one  in  Deerfield,  nine  children;  one  at  East 
Windsor,  Ct.,  eleven  children;  one  at  Woodbury,  Ct.,  eleven 
children;  one  at  Wethersfield,  Ct.,  one  at  Hatfield,  one  at 
Farmington,  Ct.,  each  having  several  children,  two  or  three 
in  ISTorthampton,  others  elsewhere.  One  of  the  Northampton 
families,  the  distinguished  Col.  John  Stoddard,  the  civilian, 
numbered  six  or  more  children.  Such  were  the  thirteen 
families.  How  many  times  thirteen  have  been  formed  by 
the  third,  the  fourth,  and  succeeding  generations  down  to  the 
present,  who  can  tell?  They  reside  in  ^N'ew  England,  in  the 
Middle  States,  at  the  West,  and  South,  in  the  Old  World, 
in  the  far  distant  East.  If  asked  for  the  names  of  the  fam- 
ilies, with  the  writer's  limited  means,  it  would  be  impossible 

to  give  but    a    few,    such   as   the    following:      The    W^illiams 
2 


22  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

stock,  two  distinct  races,  very  numerous.  A  part  of  the  Ed- 
wards race,  quite  large.  So  of  the  Stoddard,  the  Hooker, 
the  Dwight,  the  Strong,  Porter,  Parsons,  Backus,  Hopkins, 
Woodbridge,  Park,  Hawley,  Sheldon  families.  But  not  to 
dwell.  Passing  from  families,  the  fifth  particular  respects 
educated  individuals,  lawyers,  judges,  statesmen,  ministers, 
missionaries,  physicians,  editors,  scholars,  professors,  authors, 
poets  and  the  like,  able  to  trace  their  ancestry  and  origin 
back  to  this  eminent  woman.  Their  voices  are  heard  in  the 
pulpit,  at  the  bar,  on  the  bench,  in  various  seats  of  learning, 
in  professional  institutions,  in  legislative  bodies,  in  the  halls 
of  Congress,  in  the  chair  of  state,  and,  it  may  be,  in  the 
ca])inet  of  the  nation.  Their  acquisitions  enrich  the  secular 
and  religious  press.  The  long  list  of  the  educated  furnished 
by  the  Williams  and  the  other  races  enumerated,  if  accurate- 
ly and  fully  prepared,  would  comprise  but  a  part  of  the 
whole.  The  writer  recalls  seven  Mathers  of  Northampton, 
mostly  of  the  last  century,  professional  men,  one  excepted, 
who  died  soon  after  leaving  college,  descendants  of  Esther 
Mather  Stoddard.  These  five  particulars,  therefore,  sustain 
the  statement  at  the  commencement,  viz:  Historically  and 
providentially  a  remarkable  Avoman.  But  these  are  not  all. 
Fully  explained,  that  fearful  chapter  of  harrowing  details, 
occurring  only  a  few  miles  above  Northampton,  at  Deerfield, 
in  the  winter  of  1704,  would  show  her  intimate  relation  to 
some  of  the  principal  sufferers  in  that  tragedy.  But  not  to 
recall  and  recount  the  painful  story.  A  fitting  close,  not 
only  of  the  foregoing  particulars,  but  of  her  earthly  history, 
is  found  in  the  next  illustration.  She  was  remarkable  in  re- 
spect to  what  immediately  preceded  her  departure.  Had  it 
been  put  to  her  option,  she  could  have  desired  nothing  bet- 
ter.     The  year  1735,  that  part   included   in    the   spring   and 


ESTHER    WARHAM    MATHER.  23 

summer  months,  was  a  favored  one  to  that  community,  prob- 
ably beyond  any  previous  or  subsequent  one.  The  popuhition 
numbered  eleven  hundred.  Three  hundred  of  the  above  were 
brought,  scripturally  speaking,  ^^out  of  darkness  into  marvel- 
lous light."  It  was  emphatically  a  year  of  Jubilee  to  the 
entire  people.  The  joyful  news  went  over  the  water  to  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  and  elsewhere.  A  spectator  of  these  memor- 
able scenes,  imagine  the  feelings  of  this  venerable  woman  in 
her  ninety-second  or  third  year.  The  call  comes  from  the 
Master  to  go  up  higher.  Reviewing  the  past  seventy-seven 
years,  contrasting  Northampton  as  she  first  saw  it  in  1659, 
with  its  condition  in  1736;  the  church  numbering  over  six 
hundred  members,  perhaps  the  largest  in  New  England, 
would  it  be  strange  if  the  language  of  aged  Simeon  fell  from 
her  lips,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  dej^art  in 
peace,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation!" 

Very  valuable  the  following  letter,  written  by  this  eminent 
woman  178  years  ago,  to  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Esther  Edwards 
at  East  Windsor,  Ot.,  after  the  birth  of  her  son,  the  re- 
nowned Jonathan.  For  it  the  public  are  indebted  to  Rev. 
H.  0.  Hovey,  formerly  of  Florence,  Mass.,  now  of  New 
Haven: 

Northampton,  Dec.  7th,  1703. 

Dear  Daughter : — God  be  thanked  for  your  safe  delivery  and 
raising  you  up  to  health  again.  We  are  under  mixt  dispen- 
sations. We  have  a  great  deal  of  mercy,  and  we  have  smart 
afflictions.  Eliakim  is  not  and  Eunice  is  not,  and  it  hath 
pleased  God  to  take  away  your  dear  brother  Israel  also,  who 
was  taken  by  ye  enemy  and  carried  to  a  place  called  Brest, 
in  France,  and  being  ready  to  be  transported  into  England 
was  taken  sick  of  a  fever  and  died  there,    as    we    understand 


24  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

by  a  letter  from  the  crew's  master  of  the  ship  now  in  Lon- 
don. It  is  a  heavy  stroak  to  us  added  to  ye  former,  and  Ave, 
David-like,  mourn  every  day.  I  had  not  done  mourning  for 
ye  former,  but  God  hath  added  grief  to  my  sorrow.  What 
shall  I  say!  It  l^ecomes  me,  Aaron-like,  to  hold  my  peace. 
God  grant  that  I  may,  with  Job,  come  as  gold  out  of  the 
fire,  when  I  have  been  tried.  I  hoj^e  you  and  ye  rest  of  my 
children  will  learn  by  these  awful  stroaks  so  to  number  your 
days  as  to  apply  your  hearts  to  wisdom.  We  see  by  these 
instances  that  our  days  may  be  very  few  here,  and  when  and 
how  we  shall  be  taken  out  of  this  world,  God  only  knows. 
Therefore  we  had  need  to  be  ready,  seeing  we  know  not  what 
hour  our  Lord  will  come.  Ye  time  is  short,  and  it  may  be 
very  short  to  us  that  remains  as  was  to  your  sister  and 
brother.  One  day  made  a  great  change  in  my  dear  daugh- 
ter's condition.  Son  Williams  is  satisfied  that  she  is  now  in 
glory,  as  you  may  see  by  the  letter  which  I  now  send  you, 
which,  when  you  have  perused,  I  would  have  you  let  your 
sister  Mix  read,  and  enclose  it  in  a  paper  and  send  it  to  my 
son  Warham,  with  the  news  of  my  grandson,  Steven  Wil- 
liams, arriving  safe  with  some  other  captives,  at  Boston. 
But  I  must  be  short  least  I  should  miss  of  an  opportunity 
to  send  this.  I  bid  you  farewell  and  subscribe  myself  your 
sorrowful  mother,  Esthek  Stoddard. 

P.  S. — I  would  have  sent  you  half  a  thousand  of  pins  and 
a  porrenger  of  marmalat  if  I  had  an  opportunity.  If  any  of 
your  town  come  up,  and  would  call  here,  I  would  send  it. 
Give  my  love  to  son  Edwards  and  your  children. 


CHAPTER   III. 

NOliTIIAMPTON    Oiq^E    HUi^DKED    YEARS    AGO — 1779-1870. 

The  ]\Iinister.  The  long  pastorate  of  Rev.  Solomon  Wil- 
liams, stretching  forward  not  quite  sixty  years  into  the  pres- 
ent century,  1778-1834,  commenced  only  a  few  months  be- 
fore. A  young  man  of  promise,  an  associate  tutor  at  Yale 
with  one  of  Northampton's  favored  sons,  he  was  married,  ac- 
cording to  the  town  records,  1779,  to  Mary,  the  daughter  of 
his  predecessor,  Rev.  John  Hooker. 

The  Physicians.  On  the  same  year  with  the  marriage  of 
the  foregoing,  joassed  off  the  stage  the  first  Samuel  Mather, 
born  1706,  physician  for  fifty  years;  eminent  in  his  profession, 
having  several  sons,  one  of  them.  Dr.  William,  who  deceased 
in  1775.  Another  physician  in  full  practice  one  hundred 
years  ago  was  Dr.  Ebenezer  Hunt,  son  of  Dea.  Ebenezer  the 
hatter  and  trader,  who  commenced  his  professional  career  pre- 
vious to  1770.  In  those  times  the  custom  of  physicians  in  vis- 
iting their  patients  Avas  to  ride  horseback;  the  saddle  bags,  sus- 
pended on  each  side,  containing  medicines,  presented  a  prom- 
inent appearance.  The  commanding  figure  of  the  venerable 
Dr.  Ebenezer,  thus  mounted  and  going  his  professional 
rounds,  could  not  be  mistaken  even  at  a  distance.  In  addi- 
tion to  medical  practice,  the  Doctor  early  opened  a  druggist 
store,  running  it  from  1769  to  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century,  not  only  doing   a   large    impoj-ting  business. 


26  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

but  trading  extensively  with  dealers  in  Western  Massachusetts. 
The  young-  men  received  into  his  office,  as  medical  students, 
acted  as  clerks  in  the  store.  It  may  be  added  that  the  bus- 
iness has  been  continued  on  the  same  spot  by  different  ones, 
Ebenezer  Hunt,  Jr.,  Mr.  Winthrop  Hillyer,  Mr.  Andrew  S. 
Wood,  and  Mr.   Charles  B.  Kingsley,  to  the  present  time. 

Passing  from  the  medical  to  the  legal  profession,  one  hun- 
dred years  ago,  the  town  numbered  four  or  five  lawyers.  Two 
quite  noted.  Major  Joseph  Hawley  and  Caleb  Strong.  The 
third,  Robert  Breck,  son  of  Kev.  Robert  B.  of  Springfield,  set- 
tled m  Northampton  after  leaving  college  where,  for  over  forty 
years,  he  lived  a  lawyer,  and  2^a;rt  of  the  time  clerk  of  the 
courts,  and  died  at  the  close  of  the  century,  father  of  Col. 
John,  a  storekeeper  in  N.,  and  grandfather  of  the  Brecks  in 
Brecksville,  Ohio.  The  fourth,  Setli  Hunt,  Esq.,  brother  of 
Dr.  Ebenezer,  more  commonly  styled  Col.  Seth,  who  deceased 
at  an  early  age,  31,  the  same  year  of  his  marriage,  1779, 
just  one  hundred  years  ago.  He  is  especially  memorable  as 
being  the  father  of  Governor  Seth,  born  a  few  months  after 
his  father's  death,  cared  for  in  early  life  and  well  educated 
by  his  uncle.  Dr.  Ebenezer.  Gov.  Seth  entered  the  legal 
profession,  was  a  strong  man  intellectually,  received  from 
Mr.  Jefferson  the  a2)pointment  of  Governor  of  the  Territory 
of  Alabama.  He  lived  in  Walpole,  N.  H.,  a  man  of  enter- 
prise, where,  after  crossing  the  Atlantic  several  times,  he 
died  in  1846,  aged  Q6. 

From  the  legal  profession  pass  to  the  public  school  and  its 
teacher.  One  hundred  years  ago,  Timothy  D  wight,  after- 
wards President  of  Yale,  a  young  man  of  tAventy-seven,  was 
passing  those  five  most  memorable  years  of  his  life  in  Nortli- 
ampton,  laboring  for  the  support  of  his  widowed  mother's 
numerous  family,  superintending  the   farm,  preaching   to  va- 


NORTHAMPTON"    ONE    HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO.  27 

cant  congregations  on  the  Sabbatli,  teaching  a  school  for 
both  sexes,  so  extensively  patronized  as  to  reqnire  two  assis- 
tants. This  school  became  celebrated.  It  received  pupils 
from  other  towns.  Jeremiah  Hallock,  afterward  minister  of 
Canton,  Ct.,  attended  it.  Several  young  men  of  the  town 
were  fitted  for  college  in  it,  viz.,  Samuel  Wells  Hunt,  broth- 
er of  Madam  Henshaw;  Warham  Mather,  afterwards  a  physi- 
cian; Nathaniel  Edwards;  Israel  Stoddard,  High  Sheriff  of 
Berkshire,  and  some  others.  In  1779,  owing  to  the  dis- 
persed condition  of  Yale  College,  in  consequence  of  the  rev- 
olutionary war,  a  part  of  one  of  the  classes  came  to  North- 
ampton, placed  themselves  under  Mr.  Dwight's  care  as  their 
teacher.  Here  they  continued  under  his  immediate  instruc- 
tion until  completing  their  regular  course  of  collegiate  stu- 
dies. In  1779,  though  pressed  during  the  week  with  so 
many  cares  and  labors,  young  Dwight  supplied  the  vacant 
congregation  at  Westfield.  But  varying  for  a  moment  this 
train  of  thought,  one  hundred  years  ago  neither  Northamp- 
ton nor  the  County  of  Hampshire  could  boast  of  a  single 
newspaper  establishment,  printing  office,  post  office,  nor  prob- 
ably of  a  single  piano.  The  i3rincipal,  in  most  families  the 
only  musical  instrument,  was  the  spinning  wheel  on  which 
young  women,  with  scarce  an  exception,  priding  themselves 
on  such  an  accomplishment,  early  took  lessons,  the  peculiar 
tones  and  music  of  which  resounded  from  nearly  every  dwell- 
ing. 

One  hundred  years  ago,  lacking  a  few^  months,  was  born 
in  Northampton  Benjamin  Woolsey  Dwight,  son  of  Timothy 
the  teacher  and  president,  a  physician  at  Catskill,  N.  Y., 
but,  compelled  by  ill  health  to  relinquish  his  profession,  af- 
terward a  wholesale  and  importing  hardware  merchant.  Still 
later  living  on  a  farm  at  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  treasurer  for  nine- 


28  ANTIQUITIES    Al^D    HISTORICALS. 

teen  years  of  Hamilton  College,  father  of  Benjamin  Wood- 
bridge  Dwiglit,  principal  and  proprietor  of  a  high  school  for 
boys  in  Brooklyn  and  New  York  City  for  many  years.  ISTow 
engaged  in  literary  labor  at  Clinton,  N.  Y.  Author  of  the 
History  of  the  Strong  family  in  two  volumes,  and  also  of 
the  History  of  the  Dwight  family  in  America,  two  volumes, 
the  whole  four  showing  vast  research,  worth  their  weight  in 
gold,  valuable  to  Northampton  from  which  the  author  sprung, 
to  whom  the  descendants  of  the  early  settlers  owe  a  lasting 
debt  of  gratitude. 

One  hundred  years  ago  the  career  of  the  celebrated  Tappan 
family,  so  eventful  in  many  places,  was  Just  commencing. 
Benjamin  Tappan,  a  minister's  son  of  the  same  name,  the 
eldest  of  twelve  children,  among  them  David  T.,  Professor 
of  Divinity  at  Harvard  College,  settled  in  Northampton  on 
attaining  early  manhood  in  1769.  He  lived  on  King  street, 
opposite  the  Dwight  house,  for  some  sixty-two  years.  A 
patriot  of  the  revolution,  in  1779,  he  acted  on  a  committee 
for  filling  U23  the  companies  of  militia,  and  went  himself 
with  others  to  repel  the  invasion  of  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga. 
There  is  not  time  to  go  over  the  record  of  his  ten  children, 
six  sons  and  four  daughters,  prominent  in  their  various 
spheres;  several  of  the  sons  peculiarly  so.  Benjamin,  the 
oldest,  a  lawyer,  and  senator  in  Congress  from  Ohio.  John, 
long  a  merchant  in  Boston,  one  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth, 
much  like  his  honored  father,  full  of  kindness,  the  streams 
of  whose  benevolence  fertilized  many  a  spot,  far  and  near,  in- 
cluding his  native  town.  Arthur,  a  merchant  in  New  York, 
philanthropic,  large  hearted,  one  of  the  founders  of  Oberlin 
College.  Lewis,  a  merchant  with  Arthur,  afterward  founded 
the  mercantile  agency  system,  strong  and  outspoken  in  his 
opposition  to  American  slavery.      It  was  an  interesting  gath- 


KORTHAMPTON    OKE    HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO.  29 

ering  of  the  nine  surviving  brothers  and  sisters  over  thirty 
years  ago  at  Northampton,  from  six  different  states.  The 
children  of  the  third  generation  nnmbered  at  that  time  over 
one  hnndred,  among  them  several  ministers,  and  at  least  one 
in  the  foreign  missionary  field,  Eev.  David  T.  Stoddard,  in 
Persia. 

One  hundred  years  ago  not  a  few  were  lamenting  the  de- 
cease of  that  devoted,  patriotic,  talented,  courageous,  youth- 
ful minister,  a  native  of  Northampton,  pastor  in  Midway, 
Ga.,  chaplain  of  a  Georgia  brigade,  the  Rev.  Moses  Allen, 
son  of  Joseph,  great  uncle  of  Judge  William  A.,  and  of  his 
sisters  living  on  King  street.  Short  the  story.  In  1777,  he 
became  pastor  of  the  church  at  Midway.  The  next  year  the 
British  army,  having  scattered  his  people  and  burned  their 
meeting  house,  took  him  a  prisoner.  After  a  long  confine- 
ment, in  unhealthy  quarters,  on  board  a  prison  shi])  in  the 
harbor  of  Savannah,  in  attempting  to  swim  ashore,  he  was 
drowned  Feb.  8,  1779.  Like  his  brother,  Rev.  Thomas,  first 
minister  of  Pittsfield,  he  was  not  only  brave,  fearless  in  the 
time  and  at  the  post  of  danger,  but  an  earnest,  efficient, 
much  beloved  pastor  and  preacher,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
early  settlers,  his  mother,  as  the  sequel  will  show,  a  rare  and 
remarkable  woman.  Owing  to  her  peculiar  connection  with 
the  families  of  Northampton  for  half  a  century,  going  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year  at  the  call  of  duty,  to  parts  of  the  town 
near  and  remote,  and  it  may  be  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
town,  the  writer  with  others  being  of  the  fourth  generation 
from  her,  feels  it  proper  to  insert  the  following.  It  is  a 
question  whether  such  an  instance  ever  occurred,  before  or 
since,  in  all  New  England  experience.  It  seems  incredible, 
and  yet  it  was  well  known  before  her  decease  and  afterward, 

its  accuracy  is  attested  by  the   records   of   the   First    church. 
3 


30  Aiq^TIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

After  commending  the  liigli,  unselfish  cliaracter  of  this  moth- 
er in  Israel,  these  records  proceed  to  say  that  she  assisted  at 
the  birth  of  three  thousand  children.  Hence  the  propriety 
of  the  expression  that  one  hundred  years  ago,  in  the  zenith 
of  her  career  of  usefulness,  not  a  few  in  Northampton  were 
lamenting  the  death  of  that  courageous,  devoted  minister. 
Rev.  Moses  Allen,  a  promising  son  of  i^^'ii'ents  highly  and 
universally  esteemed. 

Only  an  additional  item.  One  hundred  years  ago  the  third 
meeting-house,  seventy  by  forty-six,  completed  forty  years 
previous,  1739,  capal)lo  of  accommodating  eight  hundred,  was 
standing,  in  which  Edwards,  Hooker,  Williams  preached;  the 
first,  eleven  years  or  more;  the  second,  twenty-three;  the 
third,  about  thirty-five.  Within  its  walls,  Whitfield's  voice 
was  heard  when  here  in  1740.  In  it,  moreover,  those  cele- 
brated discourses  were  preached  constituting  Edwards'  His- 
tory of  Redemption,  heard  with  intense  interest  by  the  people, 
and  still  very  instructive  reading.  It  was  the  church  with 
which  many  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  of  not  a  few  now 
living,  were  conversant  in  their  early  days,  where  from  year 
to  year,  spirited,  excellent  singing  edified,  and  at  times 
thrilled  the  worshippers  in  connection  with  such  tunes  as 
Lenox,  Bridge  water.  Concord,  New  Jerusalem,  Russia,  and 
the  like.  It  was  the  meeting  house  from  which  each,  in 
their  turn  at  different  dates,  took  an  affectionate  leave,  viz., 
Southampton,  Westhampton,  Easthampton,  in  order  to  estab- 
lish and  enjoy  nearer  home  their  own  public  Sabbath  and 
sanctuary  ministrations.  A  memorable  church  edifice,  never, 
it  is  true,  favored  with  any  of  the  appliances  of  modern 
times,  for  heating  and  making  the  house  of  God  comfortable 
and  inviting,  but  still,  honored  in  the  experience  of  hundreds 
of  various  ages,  within  whose  walls,  for  over  seventy  years,  the 
people,  in  goodly  numbers,  assembled  for  public  worship. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

NOKTH.IMPTON   TWO    HUI^^'DEED    YEARS    AGO— 1(370. 

Omitting  preliminaries,  tAvo  hundred  years  ago  Northamp- 
ton was  a  frontier  settlement,  and  so  continued  for  the  first 
hundred  years  of  its  history.  Westward,  Williamsburg  and 
Pittsfield,  including  all  intervening  towns,  none  of  them  ex- 
isted till  eighty  years  after  the  above  date.  Eastward,  after 
leaving  Hadley,  the  first  settlement  was  Lancaster,  far  on 
toward  Boston.  A  great  part  of  Worcester  county,  until  the 
year  1700,  more  than  forty  years  after  the  settlement  of 
Northampton,  was  a  wilderness.  Lancaster,  Watertown,  and 
Dedham,  were  the  nearest  neighljors  in  that  direction.  Two 
hundred  years  ago,  Hampshire  county,  then  embracing  all 
Western  Massachusetts,  Hampden,  Berkshire,  Franklin,  num- 
bered only  five  tov/ns  Springfield,  Northam2:)ton,  Hadley, 
Westfield,  Hatfield.  Three  others,  Deerfield,  Brookfield,  Suf- 
field,  having  been  destroyed,  enjoyed  not  town  privileges  till 
afterward.  The  number  of  churches  was  the  same,  one  in 
each  of  the  foregoing  towns.  The  Westfield  church,  organ- 
ized 1679,  has  now  reached  its  second  centennial. 

Two  hundred  years  ago,  Northampton  seems  to  have  been 
without  a  single  professional  physician.  All  inquiries  have 
failed  to  discover  one.  The  pojnilation  was  comparatively 
small;  the  town  the  healthiest  in  the  state  until  the  erection 
of  the  dam  across   the    Connecticut    river   at    South    Hadley; 


32  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTOKICALS. 

the  annual  mortality  ranged  from  one  to  eighty,  ninety,  and 
one  hundred  of  the  inhabitants.  Then,  and  later,  ministers 
sometimes  acted  as  physicians.  Thus,  a  young  man  of  North- 
ampton, son  of  the  second  minister,  settled  in  Connecticut, 
not  only  preached,  and  cultivated  a  farm,  but  was  a  physician 
and  lawyer;  is  said  to  have  succeeded  as  a  minister  and  ex- 
celled as  a  farmer.  Other  young  men  of  the  town,  settled 
in  the  ministry,  attended  when  necessary  to  duties  connected 
with  some  of  the  other  professions.  The  remarkable  account 
already  given,  respecting  Mrs.  Joseph  Allen,  shows  that  wom- 
en in  those  early  days  sometimes  largely  sup2:>lied  the  place 
of  physicians. 

Two  hundred  years  ago,  the  legal  profession  appears  to 
have  been  unrepresented  here  by  a  single  professional  lawyer. 
Men  there  were,  as  now  in  most  of  the  towns,  having  a  re- 
spectable acquaintance  with  the  principles  of  common  law — 
men  of  intelligence,  sound  judgment,  careful  discrimination, 
of  much  practical  wisdom.  Such  were  the  judges  of  the 
county  court,  the  administrators  of  public  justice  from  1G61 
and  onward.  It  should  be  remembered,  moreover,  that  the 
cases  submitted  to  them  in  the  earlier  years  were  usually  of 
a  subordinate  character.  If  the  writer  is  not  mistaken,  the 
first  in  Northampton  who  ap2:>roached  to  what  would  be  con- 
sidered a  professional  lawyer  and  advocate,  was  Ebenezer 
Pomeroy,  who  acted  as  King's  attorney  in  1696  in  the  trial 
of  four  Indians  for  the  crime  of  murder,  committed  at  Had- 
ley.  It  caused  great  excitement  in  the  county.  See  partic- 
ulars in  Judd's  History  of  Hadley,  page  263. 

Two  hundred  years  ago,  the  principal  school-master  in 
town,  who  also  acted  in  other  capacities,  as  representative  to 
the  General  Court,  one  of  the  town  commissioners,  the  same 
as  judge  of  the  county  court,  was   the    first   Joseph    Hawley, 


NORTHAMPTON"    TWO     HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO.  33 

father  of  Thomas  the  minister,  Lieut.  Joseph,  and  others; 
grandfather  of  the  celebrated  Major  Joseph.  He  was  also 
ancestor  six  generations  back  on  the  mother's  side  of  the  two 
professors,  Josiah  Whitney  of  Harvard,  and  William  D.  Whit- 
ney of  Yale.  As  school-master,  Mr.  Hawley  kept  and  sold, 
for  a  time,  the  customary  assortment  of  school  books;  quite 
limited  the  variety.  Those  were  not  times  of  innovation  and 
change.  The  New  England  Primer  fitted  as  a  school  book 
for  children,  the  Catechism,  the  Psalter,  the  New  Testament 
and  the  Bible.  Such,  two  hundred  years  ago,  were  the 
school  Books.  Arithmetic  was  taught,  but  the  books  were 
rare.  The  spelling  book  was  unknown,  either  in  New  Eng- 
land or  Old  England.  It  came  in  very  gradually  as  a  school 
book  long  after  Mr.  Hawley's  day.  Something  here  about  the 
catechism.  It  was  not  only  a  school,  but  a  household  book, 
taught  in  the  family,  usually  Sabbath  afternoon  before  sun- 
down. Taught  also  at  a  particular  season  of  the  year  in  the 
meeting-house,  a  time-honored  New  England  peculiarity  of 
that  period  and  subsequently.  See  Rev.  Dorus  Clark,  D.D., 
on  ^'Eeciting  the  catechism  publicly  at  Westhampton  seventy- 
five  years  ago."  Applicable  to  many  places  the  graphic  de- 
scrii)tion  there  drawn.  In  Mr.  Hawley's  day,  and  afterward, 
schools  recited  the  catechism  once  a  week,  usually  Saturday 
afternoon.  Everybody,  parents  and  children,  knew  the  cate- 
chism. Many  could  ask  and  answer  the  questions  without 
the  book.  So  it  continued  for  several  generations.  The 
writer  will  venture  the  remark,  before  passing  to  another 
topic,  that  many  Avill  read  these  lines  who  can  remember 
pleasant  associations  connected  with  the  exercise  of  saying 
the  catechism  long  years  in  the  home  of  their  early  child- 
hood. In  addition  to  the  customary  branches,  the  grammar 
school  teacher  taught  those  young  men  of  the  town,  having 
college  in  view,  in  Latin. 


34  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

Two  hundred  years  ago,  only  two  lived  in  Northampton 
who  had  graduated  at  college — the  minister,  Mr.  Stoddard, 
and  the  school  teacher,  Mr.  Hawley.  Counting  Mr.  Mather, 
the  first  minister,  and  Mr.  Eliot,  his  associate  for  a  year  or 
more,  and  the  whole  number  would  be  four.  The  first  na- 
tive of  the  town  who  had  the  honor  of  receiving  a  college 
diploma,  was  Mr.  Mather's  son  Warham,  who  became  Judge 
of  Probate  at  New  Haven.  He  graduated  at  Harvard,  1685, 
thirty-one  years  from  the  settlement  of  Northampton.  Dur- 
ing the  next  thirty-one  years,  from  1G86  to  1717,  seven  left 
college — five  entered  the  ministry.  Examining  the  next 
thirty-one  years,  we  find  the  number  seventeen.  During  the 
fourth  period,  it  amounted  to  thirty.  So  it  went  on,  in- 
creasing as  the  years  passed  away.  What  a  change  in  this 
one  item!  Two  hundred  years  ago  not  one  native  of  the 
town  had  seen  the  inside  of  a  college. 

Two  hundred  years  ago,  the  town,  struggling  with  Indian 
hostilities,  besides  carrying  other  burdens,  gave  a  proof  of 
their  high  appreciation  of  learning  by  contributing  one  hun- 
dred dollars  for  a  new  college  building  at  Cambridge,  the 
four  other  towns  generously  giving  to  the  same  object,  thus 
foreshadowing  the  interest  of  Ham])shire  county  in  the  edu- 
cation of  the  young. 

Having  closed  the  chapter  headed  Northampton  one  hun- 
dred years  ago,  by  speaking  of  the  third  meeting-house, 
where  worshipped  the  fathers  of  the  fourth,  fifth,  and  some 
of  the  sixth  generation,  it  seems  befitting  in  this  to  speak  of 
the  second,  the  sanctuary  of  two  centuries  ago,  where  the 
first,  the  second,  and  the  third  generations  offered  their 
united  praises  and  devotions.  Though  greatly  inferior  in 
point  of  size,  forty-two  feet  square,  also  in  its  cost  and  fin- 
ish, nothing    elaborate    either  outside   or  inside,    for    twenty 


NORTHAMPTON    TWO    HUNDRED    YEARS     AGO.  35 

years  without  the  appendage  of  a  bell,  the  people  convened 
Sabbath  morning  by  sounding  a  trumpet  in  imitation  of  an- 
cient JeAvish  practice.  Yet,  as  a  historical  structure,  it  was 
equal  to  any  of  later  date.  Built  lGGl-2,  at  a  time  when 
the  people  were  very  few  and  poor,  and  extra  expenses  for 
home  ])uildings,  fences,  bridges,  roads,  stared  them  in  the 
face,  this  second  meeting-house  stood  a  monument  of  their 
liberality,  hearty  attachment  to  public  religious  institutions 
and  the  worship  of   Jehovah. 

Another  item.  The  congregation  of  that  day  exhibited 
what  an  array  of  eminent  characters.  Puritan  men  and 
women,  many  of  them  from  across  the  water,  determined  in 
their  younger  years,  whatever  the  sacrifices,  to  carry  to  the 
New  World  the  political  liberty  and  the  religious  faith  then 
and  there  in  great  danger.  Through  what  discipline  have 
they  since  passed!  Still  confronted  by  hardshij^s,  they  have 
no  wish  to  go  back.  Such,  two  centuries  ago,  1G79,  were 
the  worshippers  in  the  second  meeting  house;  stalwart  char- 
acters, ^^of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy;"  Elder  John 
Strong  at  the  ripe  age  of  seventy-four,  Lieut.  William  Clark, 
Henry  Woodward,  Thomas  Root,  Thomas  Judd,  ancestor  of 
the  Judd  race,  Jonathan  Hunt,  afterward  Dea.  Jonatlian, 
John  King,  Richard  and  John  Lyman,  Samuel  Wright,  Isaac 
Sheldon,  Samuel  Allen,  Medad  Pomeroy,  Enos  Kingslcy, 
Capt.  Aaron  Cooke,  Joseph  Parsons,  Nathaniel  Phelps,  Alex- 
ander Edwards,  Preserved  Clap,  son  of  the  distinguished 
Roger,  Caleb  Pomeroy,  representative  characters,  ^^  their  seed 
might}^  in  the  earth,"  applicable  the  expression  in  Psalm  sev- 
enty-second: '^  There  shall  be  a  handful  of  corn  in  the  earth; 
the  fruit  thereof   shall  shake  like  Lebanon." 

Still  another  particular  connected  with  the  second  meeting 
house,  viz:      The  Wednesday  lectures   of    two   hundred   years 


36  AKTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

ago,  North ampton,  Hadley,  Hatfield,  uniting,  circulating  lec- 
tures held  in  the  different  towns,  largely  attended,  people  of- 
ten going  on  foot;  continued  many  years,  before  and  after 
the  Indian  wars,  greatly  beneficial,  answering  in  a  measure 
the  purpose  of  the  Fellowship  Meetings,  recently  introduced; 
not  only  the  three  towns  above  uniting,  but  others  as  they 
came  into  being,  Sunderland,  Deerfield,  South  Hadley,  Am- 
herst. For  some  years,  says  Judd's  History  of  Hadley,  there 
were  only  six  towns  united,  and  the  lectures  were  named 
^'^the  six  weeks  lectures." 

One  circumstance  will  always  make  the  second  meeting 
house  memorable — the  fall  of  the  front  gallery,  the  fearful 
crash,  and  the  appalling  scenes  associated.  The  thij'd  gen- 
eration were  on  the  stage — all  of  the  first  had  passed  away. 
Mr.  Edwards  was  the  minister,  that  being  the  eleyenth  year 
of  his  ministry.  The  time,  viz:  the  Sabbatli,  about  eleven 
in  the  forenoon.  The  house  probably  crowded  above  and 
below.  The  sermon,  one  of  Mr.  Edwards'  most  impressive, 
had  proceeded  just  beyond  the  introduction.  Stillness  reign- 
ed in  the  assembly.  All  at  once,  exciting  instant,  almost 
overpowering,  consternation,  as  though  the  last  day  had 
come,  the  supports  giving  away,  the  front  gallery,  with  a 
terrible  noise,  fell,  and  with  it  seventy  persons,  putting  in 
extreme  peril  the  lives  of  seventy  others.  Wonderful  the  in- 
terposition of  Providence.  No  one  of  that  large  congrega- 
tion was  killed,  or  mortally  wounded.  This  was  the  loth  of 
March,  1737. 

Omitting  to  notice  the  harvest  seasons  during  the  more 
than  seventy  years'  continuance  of  the  second  meeting  house, 
1G62-1738,  the  last  being  the  most  extensive,  raising  the 
membership  of  the  church  from  300  to  G20,  it  may  be  added 
that  this   memorable    structure    was   taken    down    on    5th    of 


KOKTHAMPTON    TWO    HUNDRED    YEARS     AGO.  37 

May,  1738.  While  many  of  the  sixth  generation  still  sur- 
vive who  distinctly  remember  the  third  meeting  house,  prob- 
ably no  one  has  lived  within  the  past  sixty  years  having  any 
recollection  of  the  second,  where  Avorshipped  the  men  and 
the  women  of  the  first  generation. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE  TWO  PUEITAN  WORTHIES  AND  SETTLERS  OF  SIXTY  YEARS' 
ACQUAINTANCE  —  ELDER  JOHN  STRONG  —  LIEUT.  WILLIAM 
CLARK. 

One  haying  an  ecclesiastical  title,  the  other  a  military, 
eminent  characters  of  the  seventeenth  centnry,  one  near 
fifty  the  other  older,  when  joining  their  fortunes  to  the 
infant  colony  at  Northampton,  specially  serviceahle  in  bring- 
ing it  forward,  developing,  strengthening  it.  The  parallel 
between  the  two,  extending  over  the  earlier  and  later  pe- 
riods of  their  life  holds  in  several  particulars.  First,  both 
were  born  about  the  same  eventful  period,  when,  in  the 
mother  country,  matters  were  culminating  to  a  crisis  and 
some  of  the  Puritans,  breathing  for  religious  freedom,  were 
seeking  an  asylum  elsewhere.  Elder  John,  the  son  of  Rich- 
ard Strong,  connected  with  the  middle  class  of  English  so- 
ciety, first  saAv  the  light  at  Taunton,  early  in  the  century, 
1605.  Four  years  later,  birthplace  and  parentage  not  as- 
certained, Lieut.  Wm.  Clark  was  born  1609,  the  same  year 
with  the  memorable  Ca})t.  Roger  Clap,  when  Oliver  Crom- 
well, the  friend  of  the  puritans,  himself  one  of  the  num- 
ber,   was   but   ten   years   of   age. 

Secondly,  animated  by  the  same  principles  and  sympa- 
thies, both  took  passage  in  the  same  vessel,  the  Mary  and 
John,    Capt.  Squebb,    that   sailed   from   Plymouth   1630.      An 


THE    TWO     PURITAN"    WORTHIES.  39 

important  date,  marking  the  commencement  of  their  sixty 
years'  acquaintance  and  only  ten  years  after  the  first  emi- 
grants on  board  the  Mayflower  sailed  from  Southampton 
for  the  New  World.  The  same  year,  moreover,  1630,  and 
only  a  few  weeks  before  that  company  of  fifteen  hundred, 
headed  by  John  Winthrop,  afterward  governor,  in  a  fleet 
of  thirteen  vessels  sailed  from  the  Isle  of  Wight  for  Salem. 
A  favored  Providence  that  brought  the  two  thus  together 
in  connection  with  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  others, 
the  best  of  English  people.  Not  to  go  into  detail  respect- 
ing all  the  eminent  ones  of  that  company,  it  may  be  ob- 
served, there  were  the  two  ministers,  Warham  and  Maver- 
ick, both  at  first  with  the  Dorchester  settlement;  Warham, 
who,  six  years  afterwards,  with  a  hundred  of  that  colony, 
encountering  the  perils  of  an  untrodden  wilderness,  settled 
163G  at  Windsor,  Ct.,  the  father  of  Esther  Warham,  the 
first  minister's  wife  of  Northampton,  already  introduced  to 
the  readers  of  this  volume.  There  was  the  brave,  notable 
John  Mason,  not  only  the  author  of  the  Pequot  war,  but 
the  chief  leader  in  the  same,  the  Miles  Standish,  so  to 
speak,  of  the  Connecticut  forces,  the  ancestor  of  the  dis- 
tinguished jurist,    Jeremiah  Mason. 

There  was  Capt.  Roger  Clap,  an  efficient  member  of  the 
Dorchester  plantation,  honored  with  civil  and  military  trusts, 
appointed  captain  of  Castle  William  by  the  General  Court, 
father  of  Preserved  Clap,  early  at  Northampton,  and  ances- 
tor of  the  Clap  race.  Preserved  Clap  was  the  second  rul- 
ing elder  of  Northampton  Church.  There  was  Thomas  Ford, 
past  middle  life,  with  an  adult  family,  a  man  of  projier- 
ty,  deputy  to  the  General  Court,  a  grand  juror,  an  early 
settler  at  Windsor,  who  came  to  Northampton  in  1659, 
whose   four   daughters,    viz.:     Joanna  married    Capt.     Roger 


40  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Clap;  Abigail  became  the  wife  of  Elder  John  Strong; 
Ilephzibah  married  Richard  Lyman,  the  progenitor  of  many 
of  the  Lymans.  The  fourth  married  Major  Aaron  Cook, 
a  man  of  great  energy  and  daring,  ancestor  of  the  Cook 
race  at  Northampton,  afterward  at  Hadley  and  elsewhere. 
Such  were  a  few  of  the  company  on  board  the  Mary  and 
the  John,  containing,  as  the  sequel  will  shoAV,  the  materials 
or   the   nucleus   of   three   plantations. 

Omitting  details  relating  to  the  Dorchester  plantation  or 
settlement,  commencing  the  same  year,  1G30,  soon  after 
their  arrival,  leading,  as  soon  as  circumstances  would  per- 
mit, to  the  settlement  at  Windsor,  Ct.,  and  these  two, 
still  later,  leading  to  the  settlement  at  Northampton,  Dor- 
chester and  Windsor  colonists  being  largely  among  the 
Northampton  settlers  in  1654.  It  may  be  said,  thirdly, 
that  the  two  came  near  the  same  time,  viz. :  1 659, 
Wm.  Clark  from  Dorchester  and  John  Strong  from  Wind- 
sor. Their  coming  marked  an  era  in  the  history  of  the 
settlement.  Instead  of  planting  himself  at  the  center  or 
as  near  it  as  possible,  as  had  hitherto  been  the  practice, 
consulting  individual  safety,  William  Clark  built  half  a 
mile  or  more  west  on  what  was  long  afterward  the  Judge 
Dewey  lot.  He  was  the  first,  as  is  supposed,  to  locate  on 
Elm  street,  or  the  vicinity  of  it,  there  being  no  street 
till  long  afterward.  His  example  induced  others  to  settle 
in   the   same   neighboored. 

As  the  boundaries  of  civilization  enlarged  after  the  com- 
ing of  William  Clark,  so  it  may  be  said  business  greatly 
improved  after  the  coming  of  John  Strong.  He  was  a 
tanner  by  trade,  had  as  many  as  twelve  children  when  he 
came;  the  number  afterward  increased.  A  man  of  enter- 
prise;  he  carried    on    a    large    stroke    of    business,    was    in 


THE    TWO     PUEITAN    WORTHIES.  41 

pros2:)erous  circumstances,  an  owner  of  considerable  real  es- 
tate. Business  thus  quickened,  other  things  essential  to 
the  growth  of  the  colony  followed,  viz.:  In  IGGl,  voted  to 
build  a  bridge  over  Mill  river,  same  as  South  street  bridge; 
also  to  build  a  meeting  house  forty-two  feet  square.  This 
was  the  memorable  second  meeting  house.  The  same  year 
organized  a  military  company,  also  opened  a  new  cemetery, 
viz. :  the  present  one.  The  County  court  held  its  first  sitting 
the  same  year  at  Northampton.  These  and  other  items  still 
to  be  mentioned,  indicate  that  the  coming  of  the  two,  with 
others,  marked  an  era  in  the  history  of   the  settlement. 

Fourthly,  both  obtained  their  distinguishing  titles  near 
the  same  time,  at  Northampton.  In  IGGl,  at  the  or- 
ganization  of  a  train-band,  or  company  of  militia,  of  sixty 
men,  the  number  being  incomplete,  not  entitling  them 
to  a  captain,  AVilliam  Clark  was  chosen  the  highest  offi- 
cer, viz.  :  Lieut.,  at  that  time  considered  a  very  impor- 
tant position,  securing  to  him  ever  after  the  distinguishing 
title  of  Lieut.  Clark.  Why  a  younger  man  was  not  chosen 
does  not  appear.  The  conjecture  is  thrown  out,  it  may  have 
been  as  a  recognition  of  his  valor  in  being  the  first  to  settle 
in  the  west  part  of  the  town.  It  was  a  marked  compliment. 
He  held  other  positions.  Commencing  with  IGGO  for  twenty 
years,  till  more  than  seventy,  he  was  often  one  of  the  se- 
lectmen. For  a  series  of  years  he  was  one  of  the  judges  of 
the  County  court,  which  met  semi-annually,  at  Springfield 
and  at  Northampton.  He  is  mentioned,  moreover,  as  one  of 
the  seven  pillars  on  which  with  the  first  minister  the  church 
there  was  originally  constituted. 

But  passing  to  Mr.  John  Strong,  a  higher  office  awaited 
him  in  the  estimation  of  his  contemporaries,  viz. :  that  of 
ruling  elder   in   the   churchy    an   office   common  in   the  earli- 


42  AN"TIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

est  Congregational  chnrclies  in  New  England,  as  Elder 
Brewster,  for  instance,  who  came  with  the  church  on 
board  the  Mayflower.  Whoever  filled  this  office  occupied  a 
position  in  the  community  second  only  to  the  minister  in 
dignity  and  importance.  The  church  being  gathered  and  or- 
ganized in  Northampton  in  1661,  in  1663,  ^^  after  solemn  and 
extraordinary  seeking  to  God  for  his  direction  and  blessing," 
John  Strong  was  chosen  ruling  elder,  and  with  much  solemnity 
set  apart  to  the  same  by  the  imposition  of  hands  and  prayer. 
A  very  high  office  as  the  following  item  indicates  from  the 
Northampton  church  record.  Sejit.  11th,  1672,  Mr.  Solomon 
Stoddard  was  ordained  j^astor  of  the  church  by  Mr.  John 
Strong,  ruling  elder  and  Mr.  John  Whiting  pastor  of  the 
second  church  in  Hartford.  Such  was  Mr.  John  Strong, 
ruling  faithfully  over  the  members,  rendering  special  assis- 
tance in  cases  of  discipline,  visiting  and  i^raying  with  the 
sick,  in  the  pastor's  absence,  leading  the  devotions  of  the 
congregation,  expounding  the  scriptures.  Being  the  first  rul- 
ing elder  in  that  church,  his  son  Ebenezer,  a  farmer  and  a 
tanner,  was  tlie  third  and  last.  The  office  gradually 
died  out  of  the  Congregational  churches,  a  standing  com- 
mittee being  substituted  for  it  in  many  churches.  Pass 
over  the  circumstance  of  their  bereavement  the  same  year, 
1688,  in  the  decease,  each  of  his  wife,  it  may  be  ob- 
served fifthly,  both  having  commenced  life  near  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century,  continued  till  near  its  close.  William 
Clark  went  first,  not,  however,  till  he  had  seen  the  colony 
and  the  church  at  Northampton  carried  through  many  diffi- 
culties, bearing  precious  fruit.  The  year  of  his  death,  1690, 
was  seven  years  after  the  second  harvest  season,  of  Mr.  Stod- 
dard's ministry,  when  it  is  said,  nearly  all  the  young  x^Jople 
of  the  town  were  thoughtful  about  their  eternal  salvation. 


THE    TWO    PURITAN    WORTHIES.  43 

Elder  John's  departure  was  delayed  nine  years  later,  1699, 
just  as  that  century,  with  all  its  great  events,  was  passing 
away  into  the  domain  of  history.  Many  of  his  associates, 
Thomas  Ford,  Thomas  Judd,  William  Clark,  Dea.  Jonathan 
Hunt,  Major  Aaron  Cook,  Dea.  Holton,  fully  prepared,  had 
been  gathered  to  their  fathers.  It  is  a  beautiful  comparison 
specially  appropriate,  '^Thou  shalt  come  to  thy  grave  in  a 
full  age,  like  as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his  season." 
Ninety-four,  forty  years  having  passed  since  his  first  coming 
to  N.,  the  fruits  of  righteousness  having  ripened  in  his  life, 
like  the  venerable  Simeon  at  that  important  crisis,  he  knows 
where  he  is  going,  and  is  more  than  willing  to    go. 

Finally,  both  were  the  ancestors  of  a  multitude  of  de- 
scendants. Elder  John  brought  up  to  man's  and  woman's 
estate  a  large  family.  At  his  decease,  sixteen  of  his  eigh- 
teen children  were  living.  These  sixteen  lived  to  establish 
families  of  their  own.  Counting  sons  and  daughters,  he  saw 
before  leaving  the  stage,  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  his  direct 
descendants,  all  of  the  second  and  third  generations.  So 
well  started  by  its  illustrious  founder  and  progenitor,  the 
Strong  race  has  attained  astonishing  proportions.  The  pos- 
terity of  John  Strong,  the  faithful  ruling  elder,  has  become 
so  numerous  that  two  octavo  volumes  of  fifteen  hundred 
pages,  barely  suffice  to  register  the  names  of  the  various  con- 
nected families  and  individuals.  To  collect  and  arrange  the 
materials  here  found  required  years  of  thought  and  labor. 
The  headquarters  of  this  race,  centering  at  Northampton, 
the  Strong  genealogy  contains  a  store-house  of  family  history 
of  this  ancient  town.  In  the  two  volumes  the  names  of  El- 
der John's  descendants  amount  to  twenty-eight  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  sixty-seven.  Had  all  to  whom  letters 
were  addressed  responded,  the  number  would  have  reached 
toward  thirty  thousand. 


44  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

In  like  manner  a  great  multitude  have  descended  from 
Lieut.  William  Clark.  Of  his  five  sons  and  four  daughters, 
several  of  whom  had  a  numerous  family,  there  will  be  space 
to  speak  of  only  one,  viz.:  his  sixth  child,  John,  born  1651, 
at  Dorchester,  usually  called  Dea.  John,  eight  years  old  when 
his  father  moved  to  Northampton.  In  1679,  he  married  as 
his  second  wife,  Mary  Strong,  the  thirteenth  child  of  Elder 
John,  thus  uniting  the  two  families,  doubly  united  the  next 
year,  1680,  by  the  marriage  of  another  son,  Capt.  William  to 
Hannah  the  fifteenth  child  of  Elder  John.  Of  the  eleven 
children  born  to  Dea.  John,  one  died  in  early  life.  Of  the 
remaining  ten,  four  lived  to  be  above  ninety,  three  above 
eighty,  and  three  above  seventy.  Six  of  these  were  sons,  and 
lived  each  with  the  wife  of  his  youth  more  than  fifty  years. 
Most  of  them  lived  on  Elm  street.  Gov.  Caleb  Strong  says 
they  were  all  living  within  his  memory.  The  daughters 
were  long-lived  and  survived  their  husbands.  All  were  re- 
spectable and  in  good  circumstances.  One  of  the  sons,  Lieut. 
Ebenezer,  who  lives  near  the  spot  where  President  Seelye 
lives,  attained  the  age  of  ninety-nine.  At  his  death,  1781, 
there  had  sprung  from  the  original  pair,  as  President  Dwight 
of  Yale  says,  eleven  hundred  and  forty-five  persons,  of  whom 
nine  hundred  and  sixty  were  still  living,  viz.:  in  1781.  All 
this  relates  simply  to  one  of  Lieut.  Wm.  Clark's  children, 
viz. :  Dea.  John  and  his  posterity.  Including  the  entire 
race  of  Lieut.  William  down  to  the  present,  some  faint  idea 
may  be  formed  as  to  the  multitude  of  his  descendants.  It 
would  not  be  strange  if  the  whole  number  nearly  equalled 
that  reported  of   Elder  John  Strong's  descendants. 

From  the  foregoing  parallel  between  these  puritan  worthies 
please  accept  two  items.  First,  in  the  question  of  their  re- 
moval  or  non-removal   in   1659   to   Northampton,   how  much 


THE    TWO    PURITAN"    WORTHIES.  45 

mucli  was  involved  temporally  and  religiously.  Hoav  much 
pertaining  to  the  town  and  the  church  of  Northampton  and 
other  communities.  Secondly,  from  the  numbers  descended 
from  Elder  John  and  Lieut.  William,  who  have  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Northampton  church  for  over  two  hundred  years, 
also  of  other  churches  elsewhere,  see  illustrated  the  value  of 
a  pious  parentage.  Who  can  emphasize  it  too  strongly? 
Surely  there  is  a  meaning  in  the  passage,  ^'I  will  be  a 
God   to  thee   and   to   thy  seed    after  thee." 


CHAPTER    VI. 

SOME    OF    NOETHAMPTON'S    FIRST    THINGS. 

Tlie  first  settlement  commenced  1654. 

The  first  name  of  the  place,  Nonotuck. 

The  first  marriage  occurred  the  same  year,  Nov.  18th; 
names  of  the  parties,  David  Burt  and  Mary  Holton. 

The  first  meeting  house,  twenty-six  feet  long  by  eighteen 
wide,  was  finished  about  the  15th  of  April,  1655,  with  one 
door  and  two  windows.  Eight  years  after,  in  1663,  this  be- 
came the  first  school  building  in  the  settlement. 

The  first  birth  occurred  May  2d,  1655,  viz. :  Ebenezer,  son 
of   Cornet  Joseph  and  Mary  Bliss  Parsons. 

The  first  selectmen  were  chosen  the  same  year  in  the  month 
of   December. 

The  first  death  occurred  January  14th,  1656,  viz. :  James, 
son  of  James  and  Sarah  Bridgman,  the  ancestors  of  the 
Northampton  Bridgmans. 

The  next  year,  1657,  witnessed  the  first  efforts  toward 
erecting  a  parsonage  or  minister's  house.  It  stood  imme- 
diately in  the  center,  south  of  meeting  house  hill  on  the 
line  of   Shop  Row. 

The  first  court,  to  end  small  causes,  was  held  the  same  year. 

Also,  June  25th,  the  first  temperance  measures  were 
adopted. 

About  the  same  time,  the  first  public  action  was  taken  to 
procure  a  minister. 


FIRST    THINGS    OF    NORTHAMPTON.  47 

The  first  meeting  to  raise  money  for  town  expenses,  includ- 
ing ministerial  support,  was  held  1658. 

The  same  year,  the  first  minister,  Kev.  Eleazer  Mather, 
born  in  Dorchester,  came  in  the  month  of   July. 

The  first  ferry  between  Hadley  and  Northampton  was 
opened  this  year. 

David  Burt  was  the  first  person  killed  accidentally,  viz. : 
Aug.  30th,  1660. 

The  next  year,  1661,  witnessed  the  first  church  organization. 

The  same  year  the  first  militia  company  was  organized. 

The  first  bridge  across  Mill  river  was  voted  about  the  same 
time. 

The  first  interment  in  the  Bridge  street  cemetery  occurred 
Nov.  30tli,  of  this  year,  1661;  the  person  was  probably  Hen- 
ry Curtis  from  Dorchester. 

Hampshire  County,  embracing  three  towns,  Springfield, 
Northampton    and    Hadley,  commenced    its    career   May  7th, 


The  first  school  began  1663. 

One  of  the  first  school  teachers  was  James  Cornish. 

This  year,  1663,  the  first  ruling  elder  in  the  church  and 
the  first  deacon  were  chosen. 

In  1664  were  instituted  the  first  measures  to  prevent  the 
young  from  rude,  disorderly  conduct  on  the  Sabbath. 

The  first  public  highway  was  constructed  this  year,  viz. :  to 
Windsor. 

The  first  person  killed  by  lightning  in  the  settlement  was 
Matthew  Cole,  April  28th,  1665. 

The  first  court  house  was   built  1667. 

In  1670,  the  first  town  a^^propriation  of  land  for  the  sup- 
port of   schools  was  voted,  viz. :   of   one  hundred  acres. 

The  first  Indian  attack  on  the  settlement  took  place  in 
1675. 


48  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

The  first  killed  by  tlie  savages,  March  14th,  of  the  same 
year,  was  Eobert  Bartlett,  on  Pleasant  street. 

The  first  native  of  Northampton  who  graduated  at  college 
was  Warham  Mather,  at  Harvard,  in  1G85,  in  a  class  of 
fourteen. 

The  first  son  of  Northampton  who  entered  the  ministry 
was  Joseph  Parsons,  ordained  in  the  year  1700  at  Lebanon, 
Conn. 

The  first  prison  or  jail  built  in  toAvn  was  erected  1704, 
twenty-four  feet  long  by  sixteen  wide.  Had  a  small  dwelling 
at  one  end  for  the  keeper. 

The  foregoing  are  some  of  the  First  Things  of  Northamp- 
ton during  the  first  fifty  years  of  its  history. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

FATAL    CASUALTIES    12^    NORTHAMPTON — lGGO-1825.        VARIOUS 
ADDITIONAL    ITEMS. 

The  first  to  be  mentioned,  David  Burt,  an  early  settler, 
came  previous  to  1659.  He  was  killed,  accidentally,  in  what 
way,  is  not  said,  Aug.  30tli,  1660.  His  descendants,  includ- 
ing several  David  Burts,  have  lived  in  the  vicinity  down  to 
the  present.  The  next  two,  it  will  be  noticed,  were  struck 
by  lightning  unusually  early  in  the  season.  Matthew  Cole, 
the  husband,  probably,  of  Lydia  C,  who  died  the  next  year, 
was  killed  by  lightning,  April  28th,  1665.  Henry  Wood- 
ward, from  England,  1638,  originally  one  of  the  seven  pillars 
of  the  church  in  N.,  was  killed  by  lightning,  April  7tli, 
1685,  at  the  upper  corn-mill,  forty  years  ago  known  as  Bur- 
nell's  mill.  He  was  the  earliest  known  ancestor  of  Samuel 
B.  Woodward,  M.  D.,  who  deceased  at  N.,  1850.  Passing 
over  an  interval  of  more  than  twenty  years,  Esther  Alvord 
and  John  Parsons  were  drowned  the  same  day,  Oct.  8th,  1707, 
both  descendants  of  the  first  settlers.  The  Alvord  name, 
and  especially  the  Parsons,  often  appear  in  the  annals  of  the 
town.  Jedediah  Strong,  son  of  Elder  John,  and  his  wife 
Mary,  set  out  early  in  the  morning,  Oct.  9th,  1710,  to  visit 
their  children  at  Coventry,  Ct.,  but  when  against  the  falls  at 
South  Hadley,  among  the  broad,  smooth  stones,  the  horse's 
foot  slipped,  and  he  fell  fl.at  on  the  off-side,  and,  by  the  fall. 


50  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

killed  the  woman.  She  lived  till  the  next  day,  yet  spoke 
not  a  word.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  constable.  For  three 
years,  1677-8-9,  he  was  paid  eighteen  shillings  a  year  for 
blowing  the  trumpet  on  the  Sabbath,  to  summon  the  people 
to  church.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-six,  and  had  fourteen  chil- 
dren. Simeon  Pomeroy,  Thomas  Alexander,  and  Noah  Al- 
len, were  all  drowned,  April  24th,  1725.  Abigail  and  Han- 
nah, daughters  of  Capt.  John  Lyman,  were  burned  to  death, 
Dec.  8th,  1742,  one  seventeen,  the  other  nine.  The  house 
stood  on  the  plain,  so  called  formerly,  now  Bridge  street, 
and  was  burned  near  midnight,  the  two  daughters  with  it. 
Tradition  says  he  desired  to  leave  the  homestead  where  this 
afflictive  event  occurred.  Hence  his  removal  across  the  river, 
in  1744,  to  Hockanum  ,  where  he  made  large  purchases  of 
land,  he  and  his  son  being  the  first  to  settle  in  that  2)art  of 
Hadley.  Being  of  Northampton  origin,  it  is  said  the  first 
settlers  of  Hockanum  for  many  years  had  more  intercourse 
with  the  people  of  their  native  town  than  with  those  of  Had- 
ley. Ebenezer  Boltwood,  grandson  of  Samuel,  the  first  of 
the  Boltwoods  who  settled  in  Amherst  about  1731,  was 
drowned  in  Northampton,  July  9th,  1743,  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen. Abigail  Alexander  was  drowned,  Oct.  10,  1745,  this 
being  the  second  recorded  bereavement  of  the  kind  in  that 
family.  Martha  Southwell  was  accidentally  killed,  Oct.  13th, 
1753.  A  numerous  family  of  Southwells  then  and  afterwards 
lived  in  N.  Sixteen  years  later,  Jonathan  Hunt  and  his  sis- 
ter Thankful,  children  of  the  second  Dea.  Jonathan,  the  for- 
mer sixteen,  the  latter  seven,  were  struck  by  lightning,  July 
5th,  1709.  The  late  Abner  Hunt  was  their  brother.  The 
house  stood  on  Prospect  street,  a  short  distance  from  Elm. 
There  have  been  as  many  as  six  Jonathan  Hunts,  re2)resenting 
six  generations.      All,  excepting  the  first,  were    born  on  Elm 


FATAL    CASUALTIES    IN    NORTHAMPTOIT.  51. 

and  Prospect  streets.  The  first  and  the  fourth  were  deacons. 
Asahel,  a  deaf  mute,  tenth  child  of  Benajah  Strong,  son  of 
Waitstill,  was  drowned  July  9th,  1770,  nine  years  of  age. 
Ebenezer  Edwards,  a  farmer,  son  of  Nathaniel,  was  killed  by 
the  fall  of  a  tree,  Aug.  22nd,  1771,  aged  51.  He  had  nine 
children,  one  of  them,  Nathaniel,  a  farmer  and  an  inn-keep- 
er at  Roberts  Meadow.  Lieut.  Elihu  Root,  a  descendant  of 
Thomas  R.,  one  of  the  first  members,  and  one  of  the  seven 
pillars  of  the  Northampton  church,  who  deceased  1694,  was 
drowned,  April  23,  1779.  Only  a  few  months  later, 
Major  Jonathan  Allen,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  son 
of  Joseph,  who  died  seven  days  previous,  being  at  home 
on  a  furlough,  while  hunting  deer  in  mid-winter  in 
deep  snow,  Jan.  7th,  1780,  was  accidentally  shot  by 
his  companion,  Seth  Lyman,  aged  42.  An  Indian  was 
drowned,  July  13th,  1782.  Samuel  Marshall  lost  his  life  by 
falling  from  a  horse.  May  5th,  1789.  Three  Samuel  Mar- 
shall deceased  between  1758  and  1789.  The  Marshall  house 
stood  where  the  Baptist  meeting  house  now  stands.  Moses 
Pomeroy  was  killed,  probably  accidentally,  in  Ohio,  1791.  If 
a  settler  in  that  state,  he  was  one  of  the  first  from  his  na- 
tive town  to  go  west.  Submit  Lyman,  a  sister  of  Esquire 
Levi,  Register  of  Deeds,  and  daughter  of  Capt.  William,  was 
killed  Jan.  9th,  1797,  by  the  falling  of  a  tree,  when  riding 
in  a  sleigh,  at  the  age  of  30.  She  was  much  beloved,  be- 
cause of  the  grace  with  which  she  was  enabled  to  submit  to 
the  personal  deformity  of  a  hair  lip,  which  appears  to  have 
given  to  her  her  name.  She  was  the  youngest  of  eight  chil- 
dren, unmarried.  John  Kneep,  the  only  one  probably  of 
the  name  then  in  town,  was  drowned.  May  31,  1798.  John 
Wyer,  whose  child  deceased  the  year  previous,  perished  in  a 
hard  storm,  Nov.  17th,  1803.     The  same   year,    Dec.    9th,    a 


52  AKtIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

child  of  John  King,  Jr.,  was  drowned.  Two  years  hiter, 
Dec.  1,  1805,  Thomas  Merrick  Pomeroy's  chikl  was  burnt. 
He  was  the  son  of  Simeon  P.,  and  a  printer  by  trade,  lived 
on  South  street;  his  shop  was  in  the  old  Tontine  building, 
which  stood  where  the  late  Hon.  John  Clarke  afterwards 
built  and  lived.  The  Tontine,  so  called,  was  a  long  wooden 
building,  three  stories  high,  resembling  a  bar-racks,  contain- 
ing a  store,  several  shops,  and  a  large  public  hall.  The  next 
four,  occurring  the  same  year,  1807,  and  all  within  a  few 
months,  mark  it  as  peculiar  in  this  respect.  Widow  Mar- 
garet Bryant,  whose  husband  deceased  eighteen  months  pre- 
vious, perished  in  the  woods,  April  6th,  1807.  Four  days 
after,  a  daughter,  only  child  of  Arunah  Strong,  son  of  John, 
grandson  of  Waitstill,  who  died  1822,  was  drowned.  Martin 
Ely,  Jr.,  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a  clock-weight,  Aug  20th. 
Five  days  later,  Aug.  25th,  Daniel  King's  son  was  drowned. 
Enos  Kingsley,  a  child  of  three  or  four,  brother  of  Dea. 
Daniel,  was  scalded,  Jan.  9th,  1808.  The  father,  Enos 
Kingsley,  Jr.,  lived  on  South  street,  on  the  corner  near  Mill 
lane,  leading  to  the  lower  mill.  The  house,  one  of  the  most 
ancient  in  that  neighborhood  still  stands.  A  son  of  Widow 
Allen  was  drowned,  July  5th,  1808.  David  Spark's  child 
perished  in  the  woods,  April  4th,  1809.  A  child  of  Widow 
Horton,  whose  husband  from  New  Haven,  Ct.,  deceased  1808, 
was  scalded  April  17tli,  1810.  The  next  year,  Sept.  21st, 
1811,  Samuel  Carrier's  child  was  burnt.  Hervey  Humphrey 
died  from  a  fall,  AjDril  27th,  1812.  The  same  year,  July  6th, 
Asa  Edwards,  eight  years  of  age,  was  drowned.  Medad  Ed- 
wards, the  father  of  Asa,  lived  on  South  street,  south  of  Na- 
thaniel Phelps'  tavern.  Over  five  years  from  the  last,  Nov. 
9th,  1817,  Daniel  Sylvester's  child  was  scalded.  He  came  to 
Northampton  when  a   boy,    from    Chesterfield,    worked    here. 


FATAL    CASUALTIES    11^    NORTHAMPTON.  53 

farming,  till  over  thirty,  tlien  married;  he  and  his  wife,  a 
dressmaker,  having  accumulated  a  little  property,  bought  a 
farm  in  Chesterfield,  on  the  old  turnpike  road  to  Albany, 
two  miles  east  of  the  meeting  house,  where  they  died. 
Friend  Smith  was  drowned,  Dec.  2Gth,  1817.  Elisha,  about 
eight  years  of  age,  son  of  Col.  Elisha  Strong,  on  South 
street,  was  drowned,  July  3d,  1818.  A  colored  girl  was 
burnt,  June  27th,  1819.  James  Pease  of  Pittsfield,  was 
drowned,  June  22d,  1820.  Isaac  Lewis  Parsons,  brother  of 
the  late  Lyman  P.,  son  of  Josiah,  on  Bridge  street,  was 
drowned,  July  29th,  1820 — six  years  old.  Five  years  after, 
Thomas  Strong,  a  farmer,  unmarried,  son  of  Eleazar,  died 
suddenly  from  drinking  cold  water,  July  12th,  1825,  aged  41. 
Thus  ends  the  sad  chapter  from  1654-1825 — forty-six  in  all. 
Indian  assaults  and  assassinations  were  continued  in  North- 
am2:)ton  and  the  immediate  vicinity  from  1675  to  1747,  a  pe- 
riod of  72  years.  The  whole  number  of  white  people,  men, 
women,  and  children,  and  one  Indian  servant,  put  to  death 
during  this  period  by  savages,  was  forty-six.  Considering 
the  perils,  the  hairbreadth  escapes  of  the  first  settlers,  it  is 
remarkable  the  number  was  not  larger.  One  neighborhood, 
Pascommuc,  now  in  Easthampton,  was  sorely  smitten,  in 
1704;  twenty-one  at  one  time  were  killed,  among  them  Dea. 
Benjamin  Janes  and  four  children.  The  last  one  killed  by 
Indian  cruelty,  while  threshing  in  his  barn,  was  Elisha  Clark, 
in  1747,  of  the  fourth  generation  from  Lieut.  William,  son 
of  the  second  Dea.  John,  who  lived  on  South  Street,  ances- 
tor of  the  David  Clark  race.  Excepting  these  Indian  mas- 
sacres, only  one  instance  of  murder  has  ever  occurred  in 
town.  In  respect  to  that  one,  there  is  considerable  uncer- 
tainty. The  record  is  as  follows:  March  11th,  1806,  John 
Allis,  said  to  be  hung  by  his  wife  and  an  Irishman. 
6 


54  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

As  the  parties  were  not  proceeded  against,  the  inference  is 
that  sufficient  evidence  of  their  criminality  could  not  be  ob- 
tained. This  not  being  considered  in  the  eye  of  the  law  an 
instance  of  murder,  no  other  has  occurred  in  the  town  from 
its  settlement  to  the  present  time.  A  remarkable  and  a 
highly  creditable  fact. 

It  may  form  a  fitting  conclusion  to  state  that  the  number 
of  Northampton  men  killed  at  the  battle  of  Lake  George, 
1756,  was  four.  The  number  killed  in  the  Revolutionary 
war  was  eight,  all  the  same  year,  1776,  four  in  September, 
and  four  in  October.  Brigadier  General  Seth  Pomeroy,  a 
brave  officer,  died  while  in  the  service,  1777,  of  pleurisy,  at 
Peeksville,  N.  Y.  Northampton  records  show  the  loss  of 
thirty  men  of  the  town  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  Whole 
number  of  deaths  in  the  town,  from  1655  to  Aug.  18th, 
1824,  3,082. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

ANCIENT    LOCALITIES    IN    NORTHAMPTON. 

Slough  Hill.  At  the  north  end  of  Kmg  street,  on  a  road 
leading  from  the  Connecticut  river  hridge  to  Florence,  North 
Farms  and  Williamsburg.  Not  a  great  distance  beyond 
Slough  Hill  occurred  that  thrilling  incident  mentioned  in  the 
life  of  the  second  minister  of  Northampton,  the  Eev.  Solo- 
mon Stoddard.  Riding  to  Hatfield,  where  one  of  his  daugh- 
ters lived,  the  wife  of  the  minister  there.  Rev.  William  Wil- 
liams, on  passing  a  place  called  Dewey's  Hole,  an  ambush 
of  savages  lined  the  road.  A  Frenchman  among  them  di- 
recting his  gun  toward  the  venerable  minister,  was  warned, 
it  is  said,  by  one  of  the  Indians,  not  to  fire,  because  that 
was  the  Englishman's  God. 

Park  Hill.  Near  the  Easthampton  line,  and  is  reached  by 
a  road  passing  by  the  Hospital  and  Pine  Grove  school-house. 
It  is  said  to  derive  its  name  from  an  enclosure  built  to  cap- 
ture deer.  In  the  year  1750,  Josiah  Phelps  settled  on  Park 
Hill. 

Bear  Hill.  Near  and  east  of  the  Joseph  Warner  home- 
stead, on  the  road  to  Leeds,  between  that  and  the  Horse 
Mountain  road..  Why  it  received  the  name,  whether  because 
frequented  by  bears,  or  from  some  stirring  incident,  one  or 
more,  in  capturing  them,  is  not  known. 

Brush  Hill,     Such  hills  have  been    numerous    in   the    wes- 


56  AN"TIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

tern  part  of  the  town.  For  this  reason,  the  whereabouts  of 
the  Brush  Hill  of  olden  time,  so  named  by  our  fathers, 
seems  involved  in  doubt. 

Turkey  Hill.  One  who  has  ventured  an  opinion  locates  it 
between  Solomon  Warner's  and  Horse  Mountain.  Off  in 
that  direction,  twenty  5^ears  ago,  the  elevations  were  heavily 
wooded,  but  now  nearly  bare. 

Fort  Hill.  In  the  rear  of  the  Starkweather  house,  on 
South  street,  near  the  site  of  the  E.  H.  E.  Lyman  mansion. 
Eeceived  this  name,  as  the  writer  supposes,  from  the  fort 
built  there  and  occuj^ied  by  friendly  Indians  about  the  year 
1661,  for  protection  against  those  of  their  race  who  were 
hostile.  The  settlers  granted  their  request  on  certain  condi- 
tions, among  others  that  the  Indians  do  not  work,  game, 
carry  burthens  within  the  town,  on  the  Sabbath,  nor  get 
liquor,  nor  cider,  nor  get  intoxicated;  that  they  do  not  break 
down  the  fences  of  the  inhabitants,  nor  let  cattle  or  swine 
upon  their  folds,  nor  hunt,  nor  kill  cattle,  sheep  or  swine 
with  their  dogs. 

Saw  Mill  Hills.  A  short  distance  east  from  the  center  of 
West  Farms,  north  of  the  road  leading  thither  from  Flor- 
ence. Some  of  the  Bartletts  own  a  steam  saw-mill  in  the 
vicinity.  One  reared  in  West  Farms,  speaking  of  Saw  Mill 
Hill,  says  the  bluff  was  known  by  that  name  in  his  child- 
hood, and  was  so  called  long  before,  from  a  saw-mill  located 
on  the  AVest  Farms   brook. 

Seeger's  Swamp,  called,  also,  Burt's  Pit.  Is  on  a  road 
leading  from  Florence  to  Easthampton,  on  the  right  hand, 
and  perhajis  a  mile  from  Florence.  Eeceived  its  name  from 
the  late  Dr.  Seeger,  who  lived  on  King  Street. 

Wolfs  Pit  Swamp.  Situated  in  what  formerly  was  Madam 
Henshaw's  pasture,  the  low  ground  in  the  rear  of  Mrs.  Edwin 


Aiq'CIENT    LOCALITIES    IN"    N'ORTHAMPTON.  57 

Parsons'  house  on  Vernon  street.  A  resident  of  that  neigh- 
borhood says  he  distinctly  remembers  the  pit  as  it  existed 
many  years  ago.  This  is  one  view.  Another  locates  it  in 
the  swampy  gronnd  in  what  is  now  called  Paradise.  The 
name  occurs  in  some  ancient  Northam})ton  documents.  No 
doubt  Major  Aaron  Cook,  famous  as  a  wolf  hunter,  knew  its 
whereabouts.  One  of  his  immediate  descendants,  Noah, 
owned  a  homestead  in  Wolf   Pit  Swamp. 

Blackpole.  That  portion  of  what  is  now  Prospect  street 
north  and  Avest  of  the  brook.  In  former  times  it  may  have 
extended  south  of  the  brook,  but  the  present  generation  have 
not  allowed  it  to  go  beyond.  The  name,  if  not  entirely  out- 
lawed, is  nearly  so.  Has  been  in  use  probably  a  century  and 
a  half,  and  it  may  longer.  Why  so  called,  the  writer  never 
knew. 

Lonetown  formerly,  now  West  Farms.  Kuns  one  mile 
north  from  the  line  of  Easthampton,  and  nearly  two  miles 
distant  from  the  easterly  line  of  Westhampton,  three  to  four 
miles  in  length,  and  comprises  from  twenty-five  to  thirty 
families,  a  district  school  and  a  small  church,  where  there  is 
l)reaching  generally,  every  Sabbath,  also  a  Sabbath  school. 
The  first  who  settled  at  West  Farms,  was  John  Miller,  about 
the  year  1778,  went  from  South  street,  a  descendant  of 
William,  the  settler,  Avho  lived  in  1G57  on  King  street. 
Another  John  Miller,  born  at  West  Farms,  owned  and  ed- 
ited the  Providence  Journal.  Miller  &  Hutchins,  editors 
and   publishers,    were   both   from   Northampton. 

Eoberts  Meadow.  On  the  same  road  as  West  Farms,  but 
farther  north  and  intersecting  with  a  road  from  North- 
ampton to  Chesterfield,  at  which  is  the  house  that  was  for- 
merly Landlord  Edwards'  tavern,  famous  in  the  olden  time. 
Here   the   daily   stage,    to   and   from   Albany,    drawn  by  four 


58  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

horses,  always  pulled  up  to  water  tlie  team,  and  *^  liquor 
the  drivers."  Formerly  there  was  a  tannery  here  on  the 
Roberts  Meadow  brook,  which  now  supplies  the  town  with 
water.  About  ten  or  twelve  families  live  in  the  district. 
The  Elijah  Allen  family,  now  of  the  third  and  fourth  gen- 
erations,   has   lived  there   nearly   one   hundred  years. 

Shepherd's  Hollow  and  Shepherd's  Factories,  named  after 
the  three  owners  and  brothers,  James,  Thomas,  Charles, 
sons  of  Dr.  Levi,  the  druggist,  who  deceased  in  1805;  the 
same  as  Leeds,  which  lies  northeast  of  Eoberts  Meadow,  on 
the  Mill  river,  nearly  destroyed  by  the  great  Mill  river 
disaster  in  1874.  Now  rebuilt  and  flourishing,  has  several 
manufactories,  silk,  buttons  and  emery  wheel,  a  handsome 
chapel  where  the  gospel  is  preached,  and  a  Sabbath  school 
sustained,  also,  a  fine  school  building,  forty  or  more  fam- 
ilies,   a   store   and   a  railroad  depot. 

Rail  Hill.  The  original  settlement,  running  northwest 
on  the  old  road  to  the  Williamsburg  line,  now  forms  part 
of   Leeds. 

North  Farms.  Formerly  Horse  Mountain,  four  miles 
easterly  by  north  from  Leeds,  near  the  Williamsburg  line, 
also  four  miles  northwest  from  Northampton  center,  first 
inhabited  by  Bridgmans  and  Judds.  Contains  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  families,  mostly  farmers.  The  original  William 
Judd  homestead  is  still  occuj^ied,  and  associated  with  that 
family   line. 

South  Farms.  Embraces  a  tract  lying  on  the  easterly 
side  of  Mt.  Tom,  and  is  bounded  easterly  by  the  Connec- 
ticut river.  The  first  who  settled  here,  requiring  courage 
and  hardihood,  Lt.  John  Lyman,  from  Pleasant  street. 
The  district  contains  from  fifteen  to  twenty  families.  South 
Farms  is   separated   from   the  other  parts  of  the  town   by  a 


AKCIEKT    LOCALITIES    IK    NORTHAMPTON".  59 

gore   of   Easthampton  running  east   to  the  Connecticut  river. 
This  gore   is   about   a  mile   wide   at  the   river. 

Pascommuc.  Occupies  the  northerly  side  of  Mt.  Tom, 
and  includes  the  present  railroad  station  and  the  dAvellings 
on  the  street  leading  to  Easthampton.  Celebrated  for  the 
bloody  tragedy  by  the  Indians  in  1704,  and  often  men- 
tioned in  early  Northampton  annals.  It  lies  wholly  in 
Easthampton. 

Pynchon's  Meadow.  Refers  probably  to  Col.  John  Pinch- 
on,  whose  name  in  that  form  appears  on  the  record  of 
deaths  in  Northampton  in  1704.  Springfield  seems  to  have 
been  his  place  of  residence.  Feb.  19th,  16G0,  the  settlers 
voted  him  120  acres.  Hence  probably  what  has  been  so 
long  known  as  Pynchon's  Meadow.  An  octogenarian  of 
excellent  memory  says,  this  meadow  commenced  near  Pas- 
commuc and  stretches  toward  Mill  river,  where  it  empties 
into   the   Connecticut.      Of  this   the   writer   is   not   sure. 

Stoddard's  Meadow.  Owned  by  the  late  Solomon  Stod- 
dard, Esq.,  clerk  of  the  courts.  It  contained  from  150  to 
200  acres,  used  as  a  pasture  only.  Bounded  easterly  by  a 
line  commencing  near  Mr.  Burr's  house,  on  Beacon  street, 
Florence,  then  running  southerly  on  the  easterly  slope  of 
Baker's  hill  to  the  Mill  River,  near  the  Bay  state  mills, 
then  northwesterly  up  the  river  to  the  *'oil  mill,"  near 
the  present  mill  dam;  thence  southerly  along  the  brow  of 
the  hill,  and  jDast  Mr.  Williston's  to  the  point  first  named. 
Stoddard's  Meadow  was  a  dense  forest  with  the  exception 
of  some  twenty  acres  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  It  was 
sold  about  sixty  years  ago,  simply  for  its  timber  and  wood, 
to    Bohan   Clark   for  his   saw-mill. 

Old  and  Young  Rainbow.  Both  sections  can  be  better 
shown   by  a  diagram,  giving  their  respective  positions,  in  the 


60  Aiq^TIQUITIES    AN^D    HISTOEICALS. 

North  amp  ton  meadows,  near  the  Connecticut  river.  One 
who  has  bestowed  some  thought  on  the  matter  says,  there 
is  but  little  doubt,  that  the  course  of  the  river  once,  was 
where  Young  Eainbow  now  is.  The  bank,  one  descends  in 
going  to  Old  Eainbow,  was  formerly  the  west  bank  of  that 
stream.  Even  now  Old  Eainbow  is  being  increased,  by 
wearing  away  on  the  Hadley  side.  The  course  of  the  river, 
exceedingly   winding,    grows  no   better. 


CHAPTEK    IX. 

THE     HEN"SHAW     ELMS. — HOW      THE     SOit^S      OF      NORTHAMPTON 
ABROAD    FEEL    TOWARD    THEIR    NATIVE    TOWN. 

Situated  between  the  Round  Hill  road  and  Prospect  street, 
on  account  of  their  prominence  and  value  the  street  prob- 
ably took  its  name,  Elm  street.  From  their  being  styled 
"Henshaw  Elms,"  some  suppose  they  owe  their  origin  to 
Judge  Henshaw,  a  former  owner.  Certainly  it  was  a  hap- 
py idea,  whoever  conceived  and  carried  it  into  effect. 
Where,  in  all  the  town,  a  more  fitting  locality  for  trees 
of  the  largest  growth?  The  probability  however,  is,  that 
these  elms  were  all  standing,  and  flourishing,  when  the  Judge 
moved  from  Boston  to  Northampton  in  1788.  Converse 
with  aged  people,  whoso  memory  reaches  back  to  the  early 
part  of  this  century,  and  they  will  say  that  the^i,  the  elms 
were  beginning  to  have  a  venerable  look.  In  his  early 
years,  from  1820  to  1825,  the  writer  often  noticed  them 
and   queried   as  to  their  antiquity. 

A  few  particulars  respecting  the  Hunt  race,  the  first,  in 
connection  with  the  Clarks  and  Bakers,  to  settle  in  Elm  street, 
will  help  settle  this  point.  Dea.  Jonathan  Hunt,  the  first  of 
the  name  in  town,  came  here  from  Hartford  in  1G61;  a  choice 
installment  of  names  came  just  before  and  after.  Though 
it  required  courage  to  locate  away  from  the  immediate 
center,  yet  the  tradition  is,  that  he  settled,  if  not  at  his 
7 


62  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

coming,  yet  not  long  after,  where  tlie  Mills  house,  now  Miss 
Burnham's,  stands.  Sons  and  gi-andsons,  several  Hunt  fam- 
ilies, energetic,  enterprising,  followed  at  intervals,  and  set- 
tled on  Elm  street.  Elijah  lived  a  few  rods  west  of  the 
Mills  house;  after  the  death  of  the  widow,  about  1820, 
the  house  was  removed  or  taken  down,  an  elm  of  consid- 
erable growth  stood  in  front  of  it.  Jonathan  lived  just 
inside  of  Prospect  street,  where  Abner  Hunt  afterwards  lived. 
Joseph  Hunt  lived  near  the  Kound  Hill  road,  on  the 
same  spot  where  Hon.  C.  P.  Huntington  afterward  built. 
The  house  had  elms  in  front.  Come  now  to  Mr.  John 
Hunt,  an  active,  business  man,  born  in  1712.  He  built 
and  occupied  the  Henshaw  Mansion,  where  Mr.  Sidney  E. 
Bridgman  now  lives,  the  home  lot  of  great  extent  and 
beauty,  was  the  finest  looking  in  the  whole  town.  This 
house  was  built  about  the  time  of  the  D wight  house,  on 
King  street.  Dr.  Fisk's,  viz. :  1751,  both  gambrel  roofs, 
both  at  the  time,  the  handsomest  in  Northampton.  Capa- 
ble of  erecting  such  a  mansion,  Mr.  John  Hunt  was  capa- 
ble of  embellishing  his  grounds,  adding  not  only  to  the 
attractiveness  and  comfort  of  his  home,  but  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  street  and  the  town.  Here,  see  the  origin  of 
those  elms,  not  far  from  1753.  Another  circumstance  strength- 
ens this  view.  It  shows  that  the  early  Hunt  taste  mani- 
fested itself  in  this  useful  way  of  setting  out  elms.  Just 
about  the  same  date,  say  126  years  ago,  Dea.  Ebenezer 
Hunt,  of  the  same  race,  living  at  the  head  of  Shop  Kow, 
a  trader  and  hatter  from  1730  to  1765,  set  out  an  elm,  his  little 
son  eight  or  ten  years  old,  afterward  Dr.  Ebenezer,  holding 
the  sapling  as  his  father  made  it  firm  in  the  earth.  This 
sapling  became  the  enormous,  magnificent,  wide  sj^reading 
elm  that  stood  in    the  door-yard  of    Dr.    Ebenezer   and    Dr. 


JOHN   hunt's   family.  63 

David  Hunt,  on  the  same  scale  of  greatness  as  those  on  Elm 
street. 

Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due.  Thanks  to  the  good  taste, 
the  thoughtfulness,  the  public  spirit  of  Mr.  John  Plunt. 
Thanks  that  so  many  of  these  elms  still  remain  an  ornament 
of  his  native  town. 

A  few  words  respecting  Mr.  Hunt's  family.  The  celebrated 
Madam  Henshaw,  born  near  the  time  these  elms  were  set 
out,  in  1755,  who  deceased  in  1842,  leaving  a  numerous  pos- 
terity, was  his  daughter.  Two  of  his  sons  went  to  college. 
One  of  them;  viz.,  John,  after  graduating,  took  charge  of 
the  Northampton  Grammar  School  in  October,  17G5,  and 
continued  his  connection  with  it  till  March,  1769.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach,  about  the  time  he  resigned  his  place  as 
teacher.  At  the  beginning,  his  pulpit  services  met  with 
marked  success.  Much  might  be  said  respecting  his  per- 
sonal appearance,  amiable  disposition,  natural  genius,  strong 
intellectual  powers,  gift  in  prayer,  his  discourses  pervaded 
with  strong,  elevated  thought,  a  fertile  imagination  united 
with  an  earnest,  forcible  delivery.  No  wonder  his  public 
services  always  left  a  very  favorable  impression.  In  1771,  he 
became  pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church  in  Boston.  How 
deep  the  hold  he  took  on  the  affections  of  his  flock,  appears 
from  the  monument  they  reared  to  his  memory  in  the  cen- 
tral part  of  the  Northampton  cemetery.  The  year  1775 
closed  with  a  deep  gloom  resting  on  the  people  of  his  native 
town.  After  a  little  more  than  four  years  in  the  ministry, 
on  a  visit  to  his  father's,  it  soon  became  certain  that  a  dis- 
ease, consumption,  had  fastened  itself  upon  him  which  would 
terminate  fatally.  So  it  proved.  He  died  at  that  beautiful 
home  that  has  so  long  been  shaded  by  those  stately  elms, 
Dec.  20th,  1775,  the  hope  of  his  parents,  his  native  town, 
of  Boston,  and  of  the  New  England  Churches. 


64  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

But  pass  to  a  second  point,  viz. :  How  the  sons  of  North- 
ampton abroad,  feel  toward  their  native  town.  This  will  ap- 
pear from  the  following,  from  one  of  the  number  living  in  a 
Western  city: — "I  have  a  pamphlet  printed  by  Dr.  Daniel 
Stebbins,  which  has  a  list  of  all  the  deaths  from  the  settle- 
ment of  the  town  to  near  the  close  of  1824.  I  have  often 
thought  that  if  I  were  living  in  Northampton  now,  I  would 
have  it  reprinted,  and  continued  to  the  present  time.  It  is 
an  interesting  book,  and  I  value  it  highly;  would  not  lose  it 
for  anything."  The  writer  thus  concludes:  "I  am  sorry 
for  the  old  elm  trees,  would  like  to  go  on  and  see  what  are 
left,  but  do  not   know    when  I  shall  be  able." 

Says  another  of  the  Northampton  sons  living  in  a  Southern 
city:  ^'When  I  heard  that  the  old  meeting  house  was  gone, 
that  the  fire  had  comsumed  it  to  ashes,  I  could  not  refrain 
from  weeping."  Such  a  request  as  the  following,  shows  the 
same  feeling:  **When  you  write  tell  all  you  can  about  the 
old  place,  the  neighbors,  the  relatives,  etc.,  etc."  These  far 
off  sons  and  daughters  of  Northampton,  have  the  feeling  of 
the  exiled  Jew,  expressed  in  the  137th  Psalm,  "If  I  forget 
thee,  0  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning. 
If  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof 
of  my  mouth,  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy." 
The  old  elms,  venerable  guardians  and  landmarks,  are  not 
forgotten.  The  writer  would  add  here,  for  the  gratification 
of  those  interested,  and  far  away  from  their  native  town, 
that  since  that  terrible  visit  of  the  tornado,  July  16,  and 
since  writing  the  account  respecting  the  Henshaw  elms,  their 
early  history,  he  has  had  the  rare  pleasure  of  looking  at 
them.  It  was  worth  riding  twenty  miles  to  have  the  oppor- 
tunity. Beginning  at  the  Kound  Hill  road,  extending  down 
to  near  Prospect  street,  those  immense  growths  of  full  a  cen- 
tury and  a  quarter,  still  stand  as  grand  as  ever,  their  num- 


FROM    SONS    OF    NORTHAMPTON.  65 

ber,  however,  somewhat  diminished.  Many  thanks  that  the 
destroyer,  in  his  march  on  that  fearful  afternoon,  touched 
them  so  lightly. 

To  change  the  topic,  and  introduce  another,  that  cannot  but 
touch  a  tender  cord,  in  the  bosom  of  every  genuine  son  and 
daughter  of  this  ancient  town.  Says  one:  '^  Last  Sun- 
day I  had  a  2:)rofitable  stroll  through  the  old  burying  ground 
of  Northampton.  Stranger  as  I  am,  from  a  long  distance, 
I  was  more  interested  in  what  cannot  be  known,  than  in  what 
I  saw.  It  seemed  to  me  that  here  was  a  noble  sphere  for 
the  skill  of  an  old  mortality.  Is  there  not  enterprise  enough 
in  this  town,  to  engage  some  one  to  set  up  the  fallen  stones, 
to  lift  up  those  that  for  generations,  have  been  growing 
downward,  and  restore  the  old  inscriptions?  This  would  be 
an  interesting  work,  and  bring  again  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
world  the  earlier  generations  of  this  interesting  town."  For 
this  rational,  timely  appeal,  the  writer's  heart  goes  out  with 
feelings  of  gratitude  toward  this  stranger.  Is  there  not  some 
son  of  Northampton,  one  or  more,  at  home  or  abroad  in  the 
land,  blest  with  means,  and  what  is  better,  with  a  philan- 
thropic spirit,  who,  imitating  the  example  of  the  late 
John  Tappan,  who  retained  to  the  last  a  lively  interest  in 
his  native  town;  imitating  also  the  spirit  of  the  patriotic, 
disinterested  Nehemiah  far  off  in  Persia,  deeply  affected  be- 
cause the  place  of  his  father's  sepulchres  presented  such  an 
aspect  of  desolation;  who  will  enter  upon  this  much  needed 
work?  The  thanks  of  how  many  would  be  freely  bestowed 
on  such?  In  that  ancient  portion  of  the  Northampton  cem- 
etery, so  many  years  old,  two  hundred  and  eighteen,  reposes 
the  dust  of  how  many  historic  characters,  the  honored  rep- 
resentatives and  ancestors,  of  bow  many  families  q^nd  individ- 
uals of  the  present  day, 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE   YOUNGEST   OF   Nli^E  NORTHAMPTON"  FAMILIES — 1653-1781. 

The  first,  Samuel  Judd,  born  at  Farmington,  Ct.,  1653,  a 
resident  of  Nortliam2:)ton  forty  years — 1681-1721.  Thomas, 
the  father,  ancestor  of  the  Judd  race,  crossed  the  ocean  for 
the  new  world,  1633;  settled  in  Cambridge,  1633-36.  His 
next  settlement  of  eight  years  at  Hartford,  1636-44.  Re- 
moved to  Farmington,  where,  chosen  deacon  of  the  church 
and  deputy  to  the  General  Court,  he   lived   thirty-five    years, 

the  father  of  nine  children.  His  last  removal  was  to  North- 
ampton, at  the  age  of  seventy-one;  married,  the  same  year, 
1679,  Mrs.  Clemence,  widow  of  Thomas  Mason,  with  whom 
he  lived  nine  years,  1679-88.  The  record  says  she  had  a 
good  estate,  and  no  children.  Her  homestead,  situated  on 
Pleasant  street,  had  a  front  extending  from  two  or  three  rods 
below  the  well-known  magnificent  elm,  down  to  Hawley  street. 
In  Northampton,  he  bore  the  title  of  deacon;  in  1682,  at  the 
venerable  age  of  seventy-four,  served  as  one  of  the  selectmen. 
Samuel,  the  youngest,  came  to  Northam23ton  as  early  as 
1681;  married,  same  year,  Maria  Strong,  the  second  of  six- 
teen children;  lived  in  the  same  house  with  his  father,  where 
his  ten  children  were  born,  ancestors  of  the  Northampton 
and  South  Hadley  Judds.  His  step-mother  gave  him  the 
homestead  and  all  her  estate.  He  deceased  in  1721.  His 
widow  survived  him    thirty   years,    and    attained    the   age    of 


THE   YOUNGEST   OF   NIXE    NORTHAMPTON   FAMILIES.         67 

eighty-seven.  Samuel,  their  eldest,  born  1685,  succeeded  to 
the  homestead,  where  he  lived  and  died,  1762,  aged  seventy- 
seven.  Samuel,  of  the  next  generation,  after  residing  on  the 
place  for  a  time,  moved  and  lived  on  the  road  leading  to 
Easthampton. 

The  second,  Jerijah  Strong,  Elder  John's  eighteenth  and 
youngest  child, — thirty-nine  years  difference  between  the  old- 
est and  the  youngest  of  these  eighteen.  Baptized  in  the 
time  of  the  first  minister,  Mr.  Mather,  1665,  he  lived  through 
the  long  pastorate  of  Mr.  Stoddard,  the  eventful  one  of  Mr. 
Edwards,  into  the  commencement  of  the  fourth,  Mr.  Hooker, 
his  decease,  1754,  coinciding  with  three  historical  items,  viz. : 
the  close  of  the  first  century  of  the  town's  existence,  the 
quieting  of  the  unhappy  excitement  both  in  the  church  and 
in  the  community  by  the  settlement  of  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker, 
and  the  erection  of  what  afterward  became  the  Gov.  Strong 
mansion,  now  standing  on  Pleasant  street.  Being  the  young- 
est of  his  father's  eighteen  children,  so  at  his  departure,  al- 
most ninety,  he  had  survived  them  eighteen  years. 

The  third,  Dea.  Caleb  Lyman,  son  of  the  first  John,  born 
on  Pleasant  street,  in  Sept.,  1678,  the  youngest  of  a  family 
of  ten  children.  Went  to  Boston  in  early  life,  and  there 
spent  most  of  his  days.  Identified  himself  with  others,  sub- 
stantial mechanics,  in  the  organization  of  the  New  JNorth 
Church,  and  chosen  one  of  the  first  deacons,  in  1712.  In 
this  and  in  other  relations  which  he  sustained  both  in  the 
church  and  state,  also  in  the  family,  his  light  shone  brighter 
and  brighter.  Having  acquired  pro2:>erty,  he  used  it  for  the 
good  of  others,  ever  ready  to  communicate  and  willing  to 
distribute.  As  a  neighbor,  courteous  and  obliging;  as  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  showing  himself  a  friend  of  order  in 
the  community,  an  opposer  of   vice  and   Sabbath  desecration. 


68  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

That  good  name  better  than  precious   ointmentj    belonged  to 
Dea.  Caleb  Lyman. 

The  fourth,  Noah  Parsons,  was  born  1692.  Esquire  Jo- 
seph, the  father,  very  prominent  as  a  lawyer  and  justice  of 
the  peace,  was  first  judge  of  Hampshire  county  court,  1698, 
of  extensive  business,  largely  connected  with  political  and 
military  life.  Elizabeth  Strong,  sister  of  Jerijah,  just  men- 
tioned, lived  with  her  husband.  Esquire  Joseph,  sixty  years, 
and  deceased  in  her  ninetieth  year.  Of  Noah's  seven  broth- 
ers, two  were  ministers,  Joseph  and  David;  one  was  lieuten- 
ant, another  a  captain.  A  sister,  wife  of  Ebenezer  Strong, 
Jr.,  farmer  and  tanner,  was  the  mother  of  thirteen  children. 
The  husband  of  another  sister  reached  the  neighborhood  of 
one  hundred.  Four  nephews  became  pastors.  Another,  John 
Parsons,  died  while  a  sophomore  at  Harvard,  1740.  A  neice 
married  a  New  Hampshire  pastor.  The  youngest  of  twelve 
<:luldren,  so  he  became  in  his  turn  the  father  of  twelve. 
Omitting  now  special  notice  of  these,  and  of  the  home  where 
they  were  reared,  it  will  suffice  to  say,  that  Joseph  Clark 
Parsons,  born  just  beyond  the  bridge  in  South  street,  1814, 
son  of  Justice,  connected  with  so  many  business  enterprises 
in  the  Connecticut  valley,  especially  with  the  Parsons  Paper 
Co.  in  the  city  of  Holyoke,  being  the  treasurer  and  agent  of 
the  corporation,  is  a  great-grandson  of  Noah. 

The  fifth.  Gad  Lyman,  born  1713,  son  of  John,  an  inn- 
keeper, first  saw  the  light  at  South  Farms — the  house  stands 
not  far  from  Smiths  Ferry.  His  oldest  brother,  Capt.  John, 
will  be  remembered  as  the  one,  whose  house  took  fire  on 
Bridge  street,  near  midnight,  1747,  which,  with  its  sad  de- 
tails, the  loss  of  two  children,  led  soon  after  to  the  settle- 
ment of  Hockanum.  A  second  brother,  Lt.  Gideon,  took  an 
active   interest   in   public   affairs, — held    several    town    offices. 


THE   YOUN^GEST   OF   NINE    NORTHAMPTON"    FAMILIES.  69 

Another  brother,  Elias,  went  to  the  defence  of  Bennington, 
one  of  whose  daughters  was  mother  and  grandmother  of  sev- 
eral excellent  ministers,  among  them  Rev.  John  Woodbridge, 
D.  D.,  of  Hadley,  Rev.  Vinson  Gould,  of  Southampton. 
Gad,  the  youngest  of  ten  children,  married,  June  22d,  1738, 
Thankful  Pomeroy,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Ebenezer  and  sis- 
ter of  Col.  Seth.  Their  six  children  were  born  in  North- 
ampton, 1739-49.  Late  in  life,  he  moved  on  to  the  hills  and 
settled  in  Goshen,  in  company,  probably,  with  others,  where 
he  died  1791,  ancestor  of  the  Goshen  and  Cummington  Ly- 
mans.  Frederic  W.  Lyman,  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  with  his 
son,  Frank  H.  Lyman,  in  the  boot,  shoe,  and  leather 
business,  is  a  great-grandson  of   Gad  and  Thankful. 

Pass  to  the  sixth,  Seth  Hunt,  son  of  the  hatter  and  tra- 
der, Dea.  Ebenezer;  the  five  first  children  died  in  infancy, 
1732-43.  The  sixth.  Dr.  Ebenezer,  lived  to  be  seventy-six. 
The  eighth  and  youngest.  Col.  Seth,  born  1748,  received  a 
public  education;  having  graduated  at  Yale  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  he  returned  to  his  native  town,  turned  his  attention 
for  a  time  to  legal  studies,  but  probably  not  to  the  practice 
of  the  profession.  His  career  Avas  short.  He  died  soon  af- 
ter his  marriage,  just  as  the  year  1779  was  closing, — an  un- 
commonly dark  time  in  the  town;  within  a  week  or  so,  an- 
other brave  citizen  was  suddenly  taken  away.  Major  Jonathan 
Allen,  accidentally  shot  while  hunting.  The  death  of  these 
two  produced  a  deep  impression  in  the  community. 

The  seventh,  Pierpont  Edwards,  youngest  of  President  Ed- 
wards' eleven  children,  was  born  on  King  street,  1750,  not 
long  before  the  family  moved  to  Stockbridge.  Both  his  par- 
ents were  taken  away  before  attaining  his  tenth  year.  Un- 
der the  oversight  of  an  older  brother,  Hon.  Timothy  Ed- 
wards, a  man  of  superior  intellect  and  worth,  Pierpont,  at 
8 


70  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

tlie  age  of  eighteen,  graduated  at  Princeton,  studied  law  in 
his  native  county,  settled  as  a  lawyer  in  Ncav  Haven,  Avhere 
he  commenced  practice  in  1771,  and  became  eminent  as  a 
jurist;  entered  the  army  as  a  soldier  of  the  revolution,  took 
part  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Continental  Congress,  1777-8. 
His  public  career  stretched  over  a  period  of  fifty-five  years, 
1771-1826.  At  his  death,  filled  the  position  of  judge  of  U. 
S.  Court  for  Connecticut.  Three  sons  were  distinguished  in 
professional  life;  the  first  was  elected  to  Congress,  the  second 
became  U.  S.  Senator  and  Governor  of  Connecticut,  the  third 
was  a  lawyer  and  judge  in  New  York  City. 

The  eighth,  a  nephew  of  the  foregoing,  occupied  a  very 
different  sphere  in  life,  Henry  E.  Dwight,  also  born  on  King 
street,  1776,  son  of  Major  Timothy,  father  of  nine  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Most  of  the  nine  were  men  of  culture — 
authors,  physicians,  preachers,  a  member  of  Congress  and 
founder  of  a  New  York  daily,  one  a  president  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, one  was  a  farmer.  Col.  Cecil  of  Northampton.  Henry 
E.  Dwight,  the  youngest  of  the  thirteen,  a  hotel-keeper  at 
Manlius,  N.  Y.,  1812-17,  and  at  Ithaca,  1817-22,  described 
as  industrious,  temperate,  moral,  sincere,  frank,  charitable, 
was  probably  the  most  remarkable  man,  physically,  ever  raised 
in  Northampton.  His  height  between  six  and  seven  feet, 
figure  erect,  constitution  very  fine,  weight  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  pounds,  about  the  waist  measured  six  feet  and  six 
inches,  features  handsome,  muscular  power  great,  voice  rich 
and  melodious,  a  superior  singer,  buoyancy  of  spirits  remark- 
able, abounding  in  anecdote,  humor  at  times  of  the  broadest 
kind.  The  following  is  given  as  illustrating  his  physical 
strength:  On  a  certain  time,  while  living  at  Ithaca,  he 
passed  two  men,  hard  at  work,  endeavoring  to  roll  a  barrel 
of  potash  up  a  plank  into  a  wagon.      Having  moved  it  a  few 


THE    YOUNGEST    OF    NII^E    NOKTHAMPTOJS"     FAMILIES.        71 

feet,  the  plank  broke  and  the  barrel  fell  to  the  ground. 
Stand  aside,  said  he.  Then  rolling  the  barrel  up  his  legs, 
he  placed  it,  weighing  over  five  hundred  pounds,  into  the 
wagon.  Such,  physically,  was  Henry  E.  D wight,  the  young- 
est of  Major  Timothy's  remarkable  family.  Born  1776,  mar- 
ried 1802  at  West  Hartford,  Ct.,  the  father  of  seven  chil- 
dren, he  died  1824,  forty-seven  years  of   age. 

The  ninth,  not  inferior  to  any  of  the  preceding,  will  fit- 
tingly close  this  sketch.  The  Hon.  Job  Lyman,  the  sixth 
son  and  youngest  child  of  Elias,  the  fifth  of  that  name,  was 
born  1781,  at  South  Farms,  near  the  Rock  Ferry, -so  called 
formerly.  Of  the  sons,  two  were  prominent  business  men, 
viz. :  Justin  and  Elias  at  Plartford.  Asahel,  father  of  Mrs. 
Williston,  managed  the  homestead.  Simeon  went  to  Lon- 
don, as  secretary  to  Gen.  Wm.  Lyman, — afterward  made 
several  voyages  to  foreign  ports.  One  of  the  sisters, 
Elizabeth,  born  1771,  married,  in  1790,  Capt.  Malachi 
James  of  Goshen.  Numerous  their  descendants,  including 
several  K"orthampton  graduates  and  the  James  brothers  of 
Williamsburg.  Job  Lyman  not  only  survived  his  brothers 
and  sisters,  but  exceeded  by  nineteen  3Tars  the  alloted  three 
score  and  ten.  Entering  Dartmouth,  he  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1804,  Daniel  Webster  being  one  of  the  number. 
Afterwards  studied  law,  and  on  being  admitted  to  the  bar, 
settled  at  Woodstock,  Vt.  Served  as  cashier  in  the  Old  Ver- 
mont State  Bank  through  the  entire  period  of  its  existence; 
afterwards  for  many  years  president  of  the  Woodstock  Bank, 
acted  year  after  year  as  court  auditor  of  Windsor  county  and 
a  member  of  the  Governor's  council,  sustained  other  promi- 
nent positions  both  in  the  state  and  in  the  Congregational 
Church,  always  and  everywhere  known  and  respected  for  his 
unbending  integrity.      Spent  his  last    years,    1850-70,    in    his 


72  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

son's  family  at  Burlington.  Present  at  the  Dartmouth  cen- 
tennial commencement,  1869,  the  oldest  graduate  in  atten- 
dance, of  sixty-five  years'  standing,  his  age  eighty-eight,  his 
cheerful  presence  attracted  marked  attention.  At  his  decease, 
the  next  year,  Sept.  10th,  1870,  in  view  of  the  rare  excel- 
lence of  his  character,  the  sweetness  and  gentleness  of  his 
disposition,  it  might  have  been  said  of  Hon.  Job  Lyman  as 
of  another,   **He  never  willingly  caused  a  tear  to  flow." 


CHAPTER    XI. 

LAWYEKS,     ORIGINALLY    PREACHERS — MEN    OF    THE    LAST 

CENTURY. 

Beginning  in  the  order  of  their  graduation,  Major  Joseph 
Hawley  stands  first.  After  receiving  his  diploma  at  Yale,  in 
1742,  and  returning  home,  several  reasons  probably  led  him, 
a  youth  of  eighteen,  to  choose  the  ministry.  His  cousin, 
Jonathan  Edwards,  favorably  known  in  New  England,  in  the 
Middle  States,  and  across  the  ocean,  was  the  minister.  Just 
before,  the  whole  town  had  been  wonderfully  stirred.  The 
same  mighty  influence  was  still  at  work  in  Connecticut,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  and  farther  south.  Young  men  from 
college,  having  the  ministry  in  view,  sought  the  instructions 
of  the  Northampton  j^astor.  Another  reason.  The  Hawley 
family  at  that  time,  was  largely  associated  with  the  ministry. 
His  mother,  Rebekah  Stoddard,  was  daughter  of  the  second 
minister  here.  Rev.  Solomon  S.  His  grandmother,  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  John  Warham  of  Windsor,  a  most  remark- 
able woman,  was  the  wife  of  Mr.  Mather,  first  minister  here; 
after  his  decease  she  married,  in  1674,  Rev.  Mr.  Stoddard. 
His  uncle.  Rev.  Thomas  Hawley,  was  a  Connecticut  pastor. 
His  cousin,  Dorothy  Hawley,  married  Rev.  Nathan  Birdseye, 
of  West  Haven,  Conn.  His  aunt,  another  Dorothy  Hawley, 
a  Northampton  young  lady,  married  in  1716,  Rev.  Samuel 
Cheney,  the  first  minister  of  Brookfield.      With  such   minis- 


74  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

terial  antecedents  and  surroiindings,  it  is  not  strange  that 
Major  Hawley's  mind,  early  inclined  toward  the  ministry. 
How  long  he  preached,  and  why  he  changed  to  the  law,  the 
writer  cannot  say.  The  probability  is  he  was  influenced  by 
a  consideration  relating  to  his  health.  As  one  extensively 
versed  in  legal  science,  in  political  history,  and  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  free  government,  as  an  advocate  of  American  lib- 
erty, a  most  weighty,  forcible  public  speaker,  he  stood  fore- 
most among  the  men  of   his  times. 

The  second  name,  less  known  in  this  immediate  vicinity, 
but  for  half  a  century,  one  of  the  bright  lights  of  Connecti- 
cut, Avas  the  Hon.  Jesse  Root,  born  in  Northampton  in  1736, 
his  father  and  mother  natives  of  the  town,  his  grandfather 
among  the  first  settlers,  and  one  of  the  seven  pillars  of  the 
church  formed  in  1661.  He  w^as  a  man  of  commanding 
form  and  features,  in  person  somewhat  resembling  Washing- 
ton. He  graduated  at  Princeton  college  in  1756.  Soon  after, 
he  commenced  the  study  of  theology,  and  in  due  time  en- 
tered on  the  work  of  preaching.  After  pursuing  it  without 
a  formal  settlement  for  about  three  years,  it  is  said  that  the 
circumstances  of  the  family  were  such,  that  he  was  led  to 
engage  in  the  study  of  the  law;  in  1763,  he  was  admitted  to 
practice,  settled  in  Hartford  where,  for  twenty-six  years,  he 
met  with  signal  success  in  his  profession.  Was  a  colonel  in 
the  revolutionary  war.  Chosen  delegate  to  the  Continental 
Congress  in  1778-83.  Was  judge  of  the  Superior  Court  in 
1789.  Chief  Justice  of  Connecticut  from  1796  to  1807. 
Best  of  all  he  Avas  an  eminent  christian;  till  past  the  age  of 
fourscore,  sustained  by  his  presence  the  weekly  prayer  meet- 
ing.     He  died  in  1822,  aged  85. 

Born  about  the  same   time    with    the    lu'cceding,    both   de- 
scended from  the  renowned    Elder    John    Strong,    comes    the 


LAWYERS,     ORIGIN"ALLY    PREACHERS.  "^5 

iicime  of  Hon.  Simeon  Strong,  wlio  left  Yule  the  same  year, 
and  probably  the  same  month,  Jesse  Root  left  Princeton. 
It  is  true,  Simeon  Strong  was  more  closely  identified  with  the 
town  and  the  institutions  of  Amherst.  But  he  commenced 
life  in  Northampton,  and  at  the  age  of  eight  his  father,  the 
ancestor  of  several  graduates,  and  others  prominent  in  Am- 
herst and  elsewhere,  removed  to  that  place.  After  gradua- 
ting in  1756,  young  Strong,  desirous  of  preaching  the  gospel, 
commenced  the  study  of  divinity.  Completing  his  studies, 
well  qualified  for  the  sacred  calling,  intellectually  and  spirit- 
ually, he  preached  in  several  pulpits  and  always,  it  is  said, 
with  uncommon  ability.  Eepeatedly  invited  to  settle,  he  de- 
clined the  most  urgent  invitations,  on  account  of  severe  pul- 
monary complaints.  When  assured  his  constitution  could  not 
bear  the  burden  of  ministerial  work,  he  entered  on  the  study 
of  the  law,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1701,  reaching  at 
length  great  eminence  in  his  profession.  In  the  year  1800, 
received  the  ap2:)ointment  of  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Massachusetts.  The  two,  Jesse  Eoot  and  Simeon  Strong, 
who  commenced  life  near  the  same  time,  in  the  same  town, 
occupied  in  the  year  1800  similar  ]30sitions,  one  in  Connecti- 
cut, the  other  in  Massachusetts. 

The  fourth  person,  not  a  native  of  Northampton,  but  for 
twenty-one  years,  till  his  decease,  a  resident  here,  much  re- 
spected personally  and  relatively,  is  the  name  of  Samuel  Hen- 
shaw.  Born  in  Milton  in  1744,  in  early  life  a  mechanic  by 
occupation,  by  earnest  efforts  he  became  fitted  for  college, 
graduated  at  Harvard  in  1773;  being  then  twenty-nine  he 
proceeded  at  once  to  the  study  of  theology.  Entering  on 
his  much  loved  work,  he  became  an  acceptable  and  popu- 
lar preacher.  But  his  plans  and  expectations  were  early 
doomed  to  disappointment.      Failure  of  voice  compelled    him 


'J'e  AISTTIQUITIES    AKD    HlSTORICALS. 

reluctantly  to  leave  the  ministry  for  the  legal  profession. 
While  living  in  Boston  he  married  Miss  Martha  Hunt,  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  John  Hunt,  of  Northampton,  and  sister  of  Rev. 
John  Hunt,  pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston.  At 
the  age  of  44,  in  1788,  the  same  year  Major  Hawley  deceased, 
he  removed  to  Northampton.  In  1797,  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  Judge  of  Probate,  afterwards  Judge  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas.  From  1802  till  1809,  was  a  trustee  of  Wil- 
liams College. 

These  four,  in  their  day  valued  members  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession, and  of  the  Christian  church,  occupying  other  posi- 
tions of  influence  and  responsibility,  deserve  a  23lace  among 
the  honored  of  this  ancient  town. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

WHAT    HON.     TIMOTHY    EDWARDS   ONCE   SAID. 

First,  about  him  personally  and  relatively.  The  oldest  son 
of  the  Northampton  divine  and  preacher,  he  was  born  there 
in  1738,  where  he  lived  till  nearly  fitted  for  college  in  his 
fourteenth  year.  When  fifteen,  he  entered  Princeton  college 
and  graduated  in  1757,  the  year  after  another  young  man,  from 
Northampton,  who  rose  to  distinction  as  a  patriot  and  jurist, 
left  the  same  institution.  His  father's  sudden  decease  about 
that  time,  soon  after  becoming  president  of  that  college,  the 
care  of  the  family  devolved  upon  him.  He  relinquished  the 
profession  of  law,  became  a  merchant,  and  settled  in  Elizabeth, 
N.  J.  When  thirty-two,  he  moved  to  Stockbridge,  Mass., 
where  the  family  lived  at  the  time  he  entered  college,  there, 
for  over  forty  years,  was  a  leading  citizen  of  the  town,  one 
of  the  strong  men  of  the  county,  intellectually  and  morally, 
a  member  of  the  Council  of  the  State  from  1775,  to  1780. 
Judge  of  Probate  for  Berkshire  from  1778,  to  1787.  Offered 
a  seat  in  Congress,  if  he  would  consent  to  be  a  candidate, 
which  he  declined.  Long  a  venerated  officer  in  the  Congre- 
gational Church.  Employed  by  Washington  to  furnish  sup- 
plies to  the  soldiers  at  West  Point.  Relatively,  he  was  the 
father  of  fifteen  children,  among  them  was  Colonel  William 
Edwards,  a  citizen  of  Northampton,  extensively  engaged  in 
the  tanning  business,  whose  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Benjamin 
Tappan,  his  residence,  the  house  more  recently    occupied    by 

Judge  Samuel  F.  Lyman,  where  Smith    College   now   stands. 
9 


78  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

One  of  liis  daughters,  Ann  Maria,  married  in  1836,  Professor 
Park  of  Andover  Theological  Seminary.  His  four  sons, 
Henry,  William,  Alfred,  Ogden,  respected  and  respectable, 
are  extensively  known.  Another  of  the  fifteen  children  of 
Hon.  Timothy  Edwards,  was  the  late  Madani  Khoda  Dwight, 
wife  and  afterwards  widow  of  Hon.  Josiah  Dwight  of  North- 
ampton. She  was  indeed  a  superior  woman.  Says  one, 
**Her  majestic  form,  dignified,  graceful  manners,  her  weighty, 
measured,  gentle  speech,  in  short  her  commanding  person 
and  presence,  showed  her  every  inch  a  queen."  She  was  the 
mother  of  seventeen  children.  Her  son,  Kev.  Eobert  Ogden 
Dwight,  was  a  missionary  of  the  American  Board  to  Madura, 
India,  and  her  grandson,  of  the  same  name  with  his  father, 
is  an  attorney-at-law  in  Holyoke.  There  is  not  time  to  speak 
of  other  members  of  this  large  family.  It  may  be  added 
that  Hon.  Timothy  Edwards  was  uncle  of  Mr.  Cecil  Dwight, 
and  therefore  great  uncle  of  Henry  Augustus  Dwight,  lately 
deceased  in  Northampton.  So  much,  and  more  might 
be  added,  personally  and  relatively,  respecting  Hon.  Timothy 
Edwards. 

What  he  once  said.  One  circumstance  determines  with 
strong  probability  the  time  of  its  utterance,  viz,:  it  was  put 
on  record  by  a  descendant,  for  the  purpose  of  being  preserved, 
in  1817,  four  years  after  his  death.  Very  probably,  there- 
fore, it  is  what  he  said,  in  one  of  his  last  years,  recalling 
scenes  of  boyhood,  connected  with  his  native  town,  over  sixty 
years  before.  The  remark  is  this:  "The  three  greatest  men 
he  ever  knew,  (he  had  known  a  great  many,)  Were,  his  own 
father.  Col.  Timothy  Dwight,  and  Major  Joseph  Hawley. 
When  young  he  used  often  to  hear  them  converse  at  his 
father's  house,  (viz. :  in  N.  It  stood  on  King  street,  where 
the  Dwight  Whitney  house  now  stands.)  The  conversation 
being  usually  of  a  very  interesting  and  dignified  cast,  he  had 


WHAT    HON.     TIMOTHY    EDWARDS    OJ^CE    SAID.  79 

a  sense  of  awe  toward  them  which  he  never  felt  towards  any 
others." 

A  few  particulars  about  each  of  the  three  in  the  order 
here  mentioned.  First,  "His  own  father."  It  is  not  strange 
such  a  son  should  so  speak  of  such  a  father.  Others  have 
reiterated  the  same.  How  much  has  been  said  in  praise  of 
Edwards,  such  as  "the  great  Edwards,"  "the  prince  of  the- 
ologians," "no  superior,  perhaps  no  equal  as  a  reasoner," 
"the  learned  divine."  Says  President  Mark  Hopkins,  who 
weighed  each  word,  "Our  greatest  metaphysical  writer." 
Equally  emphatic  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Chalmers.  After  the 
lapse  of  a  century  and  a  quarter  this  great  and  good  man, 
Northampton's  third  minister,  is  rising  in  public  esteem 
higher  and  higher.  Perfectly  proper,  therefore,  what  the 
honorable  and  venerable  Timothy  Edwards  said,  respecting 
his  father,   "one  of  the  three  greatest  men  he  ever  knew." 

How  about  the  second,  who  moved  in  a  sphere  different 
from  Edwards,  viz.:  Col.  Timothy  Dwight?  There  were 
three  of  this  name  living  in  Northampton  at  the  same  time. 
President  Allen  says,  "They  all  raked  hay  together."  Thus 
distinguished.  Col.  Timothy,  the  father.  Major  Timothy  the 
son.  President  Timothy  the  grandson,  all  eminent  in  their 
generation.  Only  a  little  here  respecting  the  first  though 
much  might  be  said,  valuable,  useful  and  creditable,  to 
his  name  and  memory.  He  was  a  lawyer  of  great  respecta- 
bility, highly  esteemed  for  his  talents,  energy,  decision  of 
character,  and  high  moral  worth.  He  was  a  Selectman, 
Judge  of  Probate,  Judge  of  the  County  Court,  some  of  the 
time  Chief  Justice,  a  Representative  to  the  General  Court, 
Colonel  of  a  regiment,  designated  sometimes  Col.  Dwight, 
sometimes  Surveyor  Dwight  and  Esquire  Dwight.  Next  to 
Col.  John  Stoddard,  in  very  high  repute  as  a  public  man, 
came  Col.  Timothy  Dwight,  who,  on  the  death  of  the  former 


80  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

in  1748,  occupied  the  same  high  place  in  the  esteem  of  the 
community.  Born  in  1694,  he  died  in  1771,  ever  an  open 
and  active  friend  of  Mr.  Edwards  and  his  family. 

The  following  is  well  authenticated.  Being  a  man  of 
great  physical  strength,  Col.  Dwight  once  threw  a  stone,  not 
only  across  the  Connecticut  at  Northampton,  which  was  some 
forty  rods  from  the  point  where  he  stood,  but  thirty  rods 
more  beyond,  or  1165  feet  in  all. 

As  the  last  of  the  three,  specified  by  Hon.  Timothy  Ed- 
wards, is  the  name  of  Major  Joseph  Hawley,  a  native  of 
Northampton,  among  the  ablest  lawyers  of  Western  Massa- 
chusetts. President  Dwight,  a  townsman  and  intimate  ac- 
quaintance, describes  him  as  ^'one  of  the  first  men  in  Mass- 
achusetts Bay — for  a  considerable  period  before  the  Revolu- 
tion, an  event  in  which  few  men  exerted  a  more  efficient  in- 
fluence. I  never  heard  one  speak  with  more  force."  In  the 
House  of  Representatives,  at  Boston,  on  points  of  dispute 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  colonies.  Major  Hawley's 
strong,  manly  eloquence,  gave  him  an  ascendancy  in  that 
body  seldom  equalled.  It  would  be  just  to  add,  that  he  was 
specially  and  pre-eminently  great,  in  being  willing  to  humble 
himself,  as  he  did  before  the  people  of  his  native  town,  and 
county,  and  of  Massachusetts,  for  his  prominent  activity  in 
that  unhappy  affair,  which  sought  and  effected  the  removal 
of  his  kinsman  and  pastor,  Mr.  Edwards,  from  his  position 
as  minister  of  that  people. 

In  conclusion,  two  thoughts  seem  not  out  of  place.  North- 
ampton, from  the  beginning,  has  been  favored  with  a  liberal 
share  of  distinguished  men.  The  generation  now  living 
should  not  forget  those  of  one  and  two  centuries  ago,  who 
here  laid  the  foundations,  for  the  lasting  growth  of  the  com- 
munity. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS — ACCOUNT   BOOK   OF   SHEPHERD 

&    HUNT. 

The  first  houses  of  Northampton  were  built  of  logs.  Those 
who  settled  afterwards,  for  a  number  of  years,  adopted  the 
same  style.  These  log  structures,  far  from  being  superfi- 
cially or  hastily  put  together,  thus  admitting  the  cold,  driv- 
ing winds  of  winter,  were  made  so  as  to  furnish  comfortable 
quarters  to  the  occupants.  Never  was  the  health  of  the 
community  better,  than  in  that  early  period,  when  that  prim- 
itive style  of  architecture  prevailed.  In  all,  there  were  only 
eleven  deaths  during  the  first  eight  years,  averaging  a  frac- 
tion over  one  each  year.  The  exact  date  when  a  different 
style  appeared,  cannot  be  given,  but  probably  not  previous  to 
1675.  When  Lt.  William  Clark  built,  about  1681,  on  the 
site  or  near  it,  of  Pres.  Seelye's,  in  the  room  of  his  log  edi- 
fice, just  before  burnt,  he  erected  an  upright  house,  which 
stood  over  one  hundred  and  forty  years,  till  taken  down  in 
1826,  by  Judge  Dewey.  This  style  may  have  been  hastened, 
by  the  necessity  of  providing  what  were  called  block  houses, 
in  order  to  protect  the  settlement,  or  rather  the  people,  in 
case  of  Indian  assaults.  Long  afterwards,  in  the  next  cen- 
tury, when  the  community  had  extended  in  all  directions, 
and  danger,  at  times,  threatened,  these  block  houses,  built 
of  logs,   two   stories,   the   lower  sunk   several   feet   into  the 


82  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

ground,  the  upper  projecting  on  all  sides,  loopholed  for  the 
use  of  muskets,  were  numerous.  As  means  of  defence 
against  the  savages  they  were  highly  valued,  and  frequently 
shown  to  be  very  effective.  None  were  built  or  needed  after 
1760,  the  French  and  Indian  war  having  terminated  the  year 
before.  The  next  style  of  architecture,  perhaps  the  third 
introduced,  was  the  gambrel  roof,  having  a  capacity  sufiB.cient 
for  families  of  the  largest  size.  At  the  end  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, as  many  as  seven  had  been  erected.  All  but  one  still 
remain.  That  one  which  stood  at  the  head  of  Shop  Eow, 
the  Dr.  Hunt  house,  was  burnt  in  1870. 

Pass  to  another  topic.  During  the  first  twenty-one  years 
of  the  Northampton  settlement,  the  Indians  gave  them  no 
disturbance.  Scarce  an  Englishman,  as  the  settlers  were 
called,  in  any  of  the  colonies,  during  that  long  interval,  was 
assaulted  or  hurt  in  the  least  by  them.  Specially  favorable 
this  state  of  things,  particularly  to  Northampton.  It  enabled 
the  new  comers,  at  first  only  a  handful,  comparatively,  to 
survey  and  improve  their  situation,  to  form  plans,  and  carry 
them  into  effect,  to  devise  ways  and  means  for  developing 
their  resources,  to  consolidate  and  strengthen  the  infant  com- 
munity. Moreover  j^eople  were  attracted  thither  from  other 
and  distant  localities.  Slowly  and  steadily  population,  of  a 
desirable  class,  increased.  Valuable  beyond  computation  those 
twenty-one  tranquil  years.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  and  the 
settlers,  soon  after  their  arrival,  been  molested  by  the  war- 
whoop  of  the  savage,  as  they  were  at  a  later  day,  very  damag- 
ing would  have  been  the  effect.  Though  of  the  best  mate- 
rial every  way,  hardy  and  courageous,  it  is  doubtful  whether 
they  could  have  stood  their  ground.  What  transpired  at 
Deerfield,  and  at  Brookfield,  might,  very  early,  have  been 
the   fate    of   Northampton.     The   Indians,    and   their   hostile 


MiSCELLANEOtrS    MATTERS.  83 

purposes,  were  restrained,  by  an  invisible  band,  till  a  good 
degree  of  preparation  bad  been  made.  See  a  marked,  a 
favoring  Providence,  so  timing  tbe  settlement  of  the  place, 
as  to  enable  tbe  early  fatbers  to  lay  strong  and  enduring 
foundations. 

It  is  an  appropriate  question,  introducing  a  tbird  particu- 
lar. Wbat  about  tbe  article  of  food  in  early  times?  Tbe 
families,  large  at  tbe  beginning,  became  larger  as  tbe  settle- 
ment advanced.  Tbe  winters  were  lon^  and  severe.  Did 
tbey  bave  enougb?  Were  the  supplies  adequate  to  their 
wants?  The  answer  is  in  the  affirmative.  Tbe  first  genera- 
tion, and  their  children,  passed  through  no  such  ordeal,  try- 
ing experience  as  befel  the  Plymouth  colony.  Game  of  all 
kinds  abounded.  The  rivers  contained  choice  varieties  of 
fish,  and  more  than  a  sufficiency.  Deer  on  the  hills, 
within  a  few  miles,  were  rampant.  Consequently,  no  unu- 
sual thing  for  venison,  now  a  rarity  and  a  delicacy,  to  grace 
their  tables.  What  the  list  of  prices  was  during  the  first 
fifty  years,  cannot  say.  No  doubt  lower  than  at  tbe  close  of 
the  second  fifty.  Take  the  following  as  the  ruling  prices  in 
the  time  of  the  tbird  generation,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
years  ago:  Mutton,  two  cents  per  pound.  Beef,  a  little 
higher,  two  cents  and  two-thirds  of  a  cent.  Butter,  marked 
at  a  higher  figure,  brought  six  cents  per  pound.  Connecticut 
river  shad,  now  almost  a  table  delicacy,  then  stood  low  in 
fishermen's  esteem.  It  will  sound  strange  to  tbe  present  gen- 
eration that,  according  to  tbe  testimony  of  Northampton 
people,  of  a  former  day,  tbey  did  not  fish  for  shad,  but  for 
salmon,  which,  at  the  period  referred  to,  abounded  in  the 
rivers.  In  drawing  in  their  nets,  fishermen  retained  only  the 
salmon,  the  shad  were  allowed  their  liberty.  Such  is  the 
story  that  has  come   down  from  a   former   generation.      Tbe 


84  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

disappearance  of  salmon  from  the  rivers,  brought  shad  into 
higher  repute.  The  price  of  flour  was  three  dollars  and  a 
half  per  barrel,  or  one  cent  and  three-fourths  of  a  cent  per 
pound.  Wheat  sold  ordinarily  at  sixty-seven  cents  per  bushel, 
home  production,  no  Western  wheat  in  those  times.  As  wild 
animals  were  numerous,  furs  now  rated  at  fifty  or  one  hun- 
dred dollars  apiece,  then  brought  but  a  few  shillings.  This 
will  give  us  some  insight  into  the  winter  apparel  or  over- 
coats, or  robes  for  various  uses,  specially  needed  in  those 
times. 

In  connection  with  the  item  of  food,  a  few  words  seem 
proper  respecting  common  articles  of  beverage.  The  question 
has  been  raised,  what  did  the  first  settlers  drink?  Unable  to 
satisfy  himself  fully  on  this  point,  it  would  be  an  easier  task 
for  the  writer  to  say,  what  they  did  not  drink.  Tea  and 
coffee,  they  knew  nothing  about.  These  articles  did  not 
make  their  appearance  in  the  Connecticut  valley,  till  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  third  and  the  commencement  of  the  fourth 
generation.  Both  were  introduced  as  a  beverage  about  the 
same  time,  coffee,  perhaps,  taking  the  precedence.  In  1769, 
when  probably  the  era  for  tea  drinking  commenced,  a  few 
pounds  were  sold  in  Northampton  by  one  of  the  traders. 
Coffee  came  the  same  year,  a  little  before,  a  limited  quantity, 
and  sold  by  the  same  firm.  Chocolate  is  first  mentioned  in 
August  of  1769,  one  cake  sold  to  Joseph  Hawley.  The  same 
as  Major  Joseph.  It  is  possible  these  beverages  found  their 
way  into  the  community,  before  being  introduced  by  traders. 

Come  now  to  the  account  book  of  Shepherd  &  Hunt.  See 
heading  of  this  chapter.  The  partnership  began  July  7, 
1769.  Location  of  their  store,  the  same  as  that  of  Dea.  C. 
B.  Kingsley.  They  were  druggists.  Large  importers  for 
those  times.      Their  goods,  shipped  from  England  to  Boston, 


ACCOUNT  BOOK  OF  SHEPHERD  &  HU]^T.         85 

were  forwarded  from  there  by  water  to  Hartford,  thence  up 
the  Connecticut  river  to  Northampton.  This  had  been  the 
route  for  a  hundred  years,  between  Boston  and  Northampton, 
viz. :  for  merchandise  and  all  heavy  articles.  Boatman,  in 
1769,  on  the  Connecticut,  Ithamar  Strong,  or  Capt.  Ithamar, 
as  the  commander  of  such  boats  was  called.  He  was  father 
of  Capt.  David,  who  followed  the  same  business,  a  man  of 
large  frame,  great  strength,  whose  boat  is  well  remembered. 
Shepherd  &  Hunt's  first  account  book,  in  the  writer's  pos- 
session at  present,  contains  three  or  four  points  of  interest, 
worthy  of  notice.  The  first  respects  the  extent  of  their  busi- 
ness. It  was  the  great  store  for  drugs  and  medicines,  not 
only  in  western  Massachusetts,  but  in  some  parts  of  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont.  A  constant  trade  was  here  main- 
tained by  physicians  and  druggists  in  such  localities  as  Keene, 
Westmoreland,  Charlestown,  Winchester,  Walpole,  N.  H.; 
Bennington,  Yt.;  Pittsfield,  Mass.;  Springfield,  Hardwick, 
Montague,  Northfield,  besides  numerous  smaller  j^laces  near 
and  remote.  If  one  wishes  to  ascertain  the  names  of  physi- 
cians and  druggists  in  this  wide  region,  at  the  date  contem- 
plated, he  may  here  obtain  them.  Such  an  establishment, 
known  and  patronized  over  so  wide  an  extent  of  country, 
must  have  promoted,  in  other  respects,  the  business  of  the 
community.  Pass  to  the  second  point  of  interest,  viz.:  the 
book  department,  associated  with  this  store.  Beginning,  as 
appears  at  the  same  time,  with  the  other  business  of  the  con- 
cern, it  started  off  with  a  respectable  number  of  volumes. 
Here  were  found  school  books,  such  as  Art  of  Speaking, 
Spelling  books,  some  Dictionaries,  Latin  books,  Cornelius, 
Nepos,  Latin  Testaments,  Biographies,  Life  of  Gardiner,  Ma- 
homet, Medical  Works  on  various  subjects.  Law  books.  Every 
Man  his  own  Lawyer,  Complete  Juryman,  Theological  Works, 
10 


86  ANTIQUITIES    ANB    HISTOKICALS. 

Doddridge's  Sermons,  West  on  the  Eesurrection,  Watt's 
Poems,  Young's  Satires.  No  doubt  the  book  department 
expanded  to  suit  the  wants  of  the  community.  Here,  prob- 
ably, we  see  the  commencement  of  the  book  trade,  not  only 
in  the  town,  but  in  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut. 

Centering  in  this  account  book,  is  a  third  item  of  interest, 
showing  the  probable  origin  of  what  is  known  as  the  Livery 
business.  It  was  not  a  time  of  pleasure  carriages.  There 
were  none  to  let,  none  were  wanted.  People  who  traveled, 
rode  horseback,  often  two  on  the  same  horse.  This  had  been 
the  practice,  in  Northampton,  from  the  beginning.  The  fol- 
lowing, in  the  year  1769,  show  the  charges  at  this  store 
simply  for  horse  hire,  omitting  names  of  individuals.  Horse 
to  Hadley,  to  carry  double,  eight  cents,  viz. :  for  the  whole 
trip,  going  and  returning.  Horse  to  Hatfield,  eleven  cents. 
Horse  to  Southampton,  sixteen  cents.  Horse  to  Chesterfield, 
twenty-two  cents.  Horse  to  Springfield,  forty-three  cents. 
Horse  to  Hartford,  one  dollar  and  ten  cents.  Horse  to  Mid- 
dletown,  Ct.,  one  dollar  and  seventy-seven  cents.  Horse  to 
Boston,  two  dollars  and  twenty-three  cents.  One  week  re- 
quired in  going  to  Boston,  another  to  return.  Two  dollars 
and  twenty-three  cents  for  the  use  of  a  horse  for  over  two 
weeks.  Horse  to  go  230  miles,  five  dollars  and  eleven  cents. 
See  the  origin  of  this  business,  and  the  table  of  prices,  one 
hundred  and  twelve  years  ago. 

In  the  line  of  the  foregoing,  and  the  fourth  point,  may  be 
instanced  the  professional  charges  of  Dr.  Ebenezer  Hunt.  He 
was  one  of  the  firm,  also  physician  of  the  town.  His  patients 
had  no  reason  to  complain  of  exorbitant  prices.  Thus  in  1769, 
Benjamin  Sheldon  is  charged  eight  pence,  about  eleven  cents, 
for  a  visit  to  his  daughter.  This  appears,  by  other  items,  the 
usual  charge  at   that  time.     Hiram   Marshall,  for  being  bled. 


ACCOUI^T    BOOK    OF    SHEPHERD    &    HUi^T.  87 

charged  the  same.  Elisha  Alvord  is  charged  eight  cents  for 
extracting  a  tooth  for  his  son.  This,  it  may  he  observed,  is 
the  Elisha  Alvord,  whose  homestead,  in  the  center  of  the 
town,  some  fifty-six  generous  persons  purchased,  in  1767, 
which  they  presented  to  Hampshire  county,  as  a  site  for  a 
court  house,  the  remainder  to  be  used  for  a  green  or  common, 
and  for  no  other  purpose.  But  to  pass  on.  Samuel  Clarke 
is  charged  four  pence,  for  dressing  Richard's  foot.  Elisha 
Wright,  two  pence,  for  dressing  his  leg.  Such  are  a  few  of 
the  items  in  the  early  days  of  Dr.  Ebenezer's  practice. 
He  was  then  25,  a  student  from  the  office  of  Dr.  Pynchon, 
of  Springfield.  Emphatically  a  period  that  of  low  prices, 
land  and  labor,  professional  and  otherwise,  cheap.  As  to  his 
charges  subsequently,  under  a  change  of  circumstances,  no 
special  information  can  be  given.  From  the  fact  that  he 
practiced  physic  in  the  town,  fifty-one  years  after  this,  during 
which  he  never  sued  any  one  for  debt,  incurred  for  medical 
attendance,  it  is  inferred  that  his  professional  charges  were 
always  moderate. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


( 


THE       HOMESTEAD      SERIES — ANCIENT      NORTHAMPTON      HOME- 
STEADS   TRANSMITTED    IN    THE    FAMILY    LINE. 

The  first  is  that  of  Samuel  Wright,  senior  and  settler,  who 
deceased  1665,  ten  years  from  the  date  of  his  coming.  There 
has  been  no  little  inquiry  as  to  its  location.  Recent  and 
careful  examination  of  ancient  documents,  both  at  North- 
ampton and  Springfield,  places  it,  beyond  a  doubt,  not  as 
ordinarily  supposed,  on  Bridge  street,  but  near  the  center, 
between  King  street  and  Market,  containing  four  and  a  half 
acres,  the  southern  boundary  being  the  highway  from  the 
meeting  house  toward  the  great  bridge.  The  First  National 
Bank,  the  Smith  Charities,  the  Asahel  Pomeroy  house,  and 
other  buildings,  stand  on  that  home-lot.  Notice  a  few  items 
from  the  documents  examined.  Two  years  before  his  decease, 
Samuel  gives  in  his  will,  1663,  to  his  son  James,  (the  others 
being  provided  for)  the  homestead,  who  held  and  occupied  it 
nearly  half  a  century.  From  James  it  passes,  1711,  to  his 
two  sons.  Preserved  and  Jonathan.  The  first  deceased  1740, 
the  second  1743.  The  next  on  the  place  was  Ephraim,  the 
son  of  Preserved,  and  Seth,  son  of  Jonathan.  Papers  show 
that  in  1748,  Seth  conveyed  to  Ephraim,  his  cousin,  all  his 
interest  in  the  homestead,  in  whose  possession  it  continued 
forty-five  years.  In  1793,  two  well-known  names.  Dr.  Levi 
Shepherd,  and    Robert    Breck,    Esq.,   bought    a  part    of   this 


ANCIEISTT    NOETHAMPTOIS'    HOMESTEADS.  89 

home-lot  for  stores,  fronting  on  King  Street.  Hence,  the 
origin  of  those  stores  remembered  by  many  at  the  present 
time.  Next  year,  1794,  Ephraim  Wright  deceased,  giving 
the  residue  of  the  homestead,  three  acres  and  a  half,  to  his 
son  Seth,  of  the  fifth  generation.  Near  the  close  of  the 
century,  1799,  one  hundred  and  forty-four  years  after  coming 
into  the  family,  Seth  sold  the  homestead  of  his  fathers  to 
Asahel  Pomeroy,  the  son  of  Quartus. 

Number  two.  The  Lyman  homestead.  Richard  Lyman, 
a  man  of  decided  character,  came  with  the  earliest  company, 
or  soon  after,  was  one  of  the  ^Hownsmen,"  or  selectmen,  in 
1655.  His  homestead  on  Pleasant  street,  lay  immediately 
south  of  Kev.  Eleazar  Mather's.  The  estate  of  the  late 
Theodore  Strong,  and  of  Judge  Hinckley,  comprised  origi- 
nally a  part  of  the  Mather  place.  Richard  Lyman  died, 
1662,  within  seven  years  of  his  coming.  The  infant  settle- 
ment must  have  felt  his  loss.  During  his  brief  sojourn,  was 
much  engaged  in  public  business. 

His  son,  John,  succeeded  to  the  homestead,  born  in 
Windsor,  Ct.,  a  few  weeks  before  the  family  settled  in  North- 
ampton. He  was  distinguished  from  others  of  the  same  name 
by  the  addition  of  ^'  Richard's  son."  Also  had  the  title  of 
Ensign.  AYas  father  of  eight  children,  among  them  Capt. 
James,  prominent  in  his  day.  He  deceased,  1727,  aged 
seventy-two. 

The  third  at  the  homestead  was  Lt.  Benjamin,  the  fourth 
son  of  Ensign  John,  born  in  Northampton,  August  10th, 
1674;  married,  in  1698,  Thankful,  daughter  of  Dea.  Medad 
Pomeroy.  She  lived  to  be  ninety-five.  They  had  twelve 
children.  At  his  decease,  in  his  fiftieth  year,  1723,  ten  sur- 
vived him.  He  was  an  enterprising,  forehanded  man,  traded 
some,  an  extensive  farmer,  fatted  cattle   in  the   stall,    owned 


90  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

five  hundred  acres  of  land  near  Granville,  Mass.  Two  of  his 
sons  graduated  at  Yale;  another  kept  a  public  house  in  New 
Haven.  Benjamin,  his  third  child,  settled,  1745,  in  what 
afterward  became  part  of  Easthampton;  one  of  the  nineteen 
who  voted  to  sustain  Mr.  Edwards,  the  minister,  in  the  time 
of  the  opposition  to  him. 

The  fourth  occupant  in  the  line  of  descent,  the  first  born 
of  Benjamin,  was  Joseph  Lyman,  born  1699;  married  in 
Farmington,  Ct.,  about  1727,  the  father  of  six  children. 
The  second,  Mercy,  married  Hon.  Joseph  Hawley,  the  patriot 
of  the  revolution,  who  first  uttered  the  sentiment,  *^  We  must 
fight,"  afterwards  quoted  by  Patrick  Henry.  Joseph  Lyman 
died,  1763,  thirteen  years  previous  to  his  wife,  on  whose 
monument  in  the  cemetery  is  the  inscription: 

The  grave  is  that  home  of  man 
Where  dwells  the  multitude. 

The  fifth  at  the  homestead  was  Elisha,  the  third  child  of 
Joseph,  1734-1798,  the  father  of  nine  children.  One  of  his 
sons,  Micah  Jones  L.,  studied  medicine  and  practiced  in 
Bennington,  Vt.  Afterwards  became  a  druggist  in  Montreal. 
Another  son,  Dea.  Elisha,  was  much  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him;    lived    in    Conway,    and    elsewhere. 

Yet  another  son,  Theodore,  was  the  sixth,  and  last  in  the 
line  who  occupied  the  homestead.  Here,  1784-1828,  all  his 
thirteen  children  were  born.  In  1828,  he  sold  this  property 
including  the  old  family  mansion,  so  sacred  in  its  associa- 
tions, occupied  by  so  many  of  the  descendants  of  Kichard. 
That  year  he  gave  the  first  deed  of  it  which  had  ever  been 
made.  It  had  been  in  the  possession  of  that  family  six  gen- 
erations into  the  seventh,  for  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
years,  1656-1828. 

Homestead  No,  3.  Samuel  Allen  came  here  unmarried  in 
1657.     A  public  meeting  of  the  settlers  assigned  him  a  home- 


ANCIEKT    IsrORTHAMPTOK    HOMESTEADS.  91 

lot  on  King  street.  Tlie  house,  soon  reared  upon  it,  having 
received  at  intervals  many  additions  and  imjorovements,  stands 
on  the  left  hand  corner,  of  what  is  now  called  Edwards  street, 
but  formerly  by  a  name  less  historic,  viz. :  Back  Lane.  In 
1659,  the  house  being  in  readiness,  he  married  the  daughter 
of  his  next  neighbor,  on  the  south,  Hannah  Woodford.  A 
family  of  ten  children  resulted  from  this  marriage.  Samuel, 
Jr.,  settled  on  the  place  where,  having  added  to  the  Allen 
stock,  he  lived  sixty-four  years.  The  last  fourteen,  1725-39, 
he  was  known  as  Dea.  Samuel.  His  son,  Joseph,  born  1712, 
married  1733,  next  occuj^ied  the  homestead,  where  he  resided 
sixty-seven  years.  During  this  period,  the  fourteen  children 
of  Joseph  must  have  made  an  enlargement  of  the  dwelling 
necessary.  His  son,  Elisha,  succeeded  and  died  there,  1796. 
His  widow,  Merab  Allen,  lived  on  the  place  until  1805, 
when  she  married  Oliver  Eoot  of  Conway.  Jonathan,  son 
of  Elisha,  the  last  of  the  Allen  line  associated  with  that 
homestead,  sold  and  moved  to  Pittsfield,  after  it  had  con- 
tinued  in  the    family   about    one   hundred   and    fifty    years. 

Homestead  No.  4.  That  of  Gov.  Caleb  and  Hon.  Lewis 
Strong,  and  of  their  ancestors,  on  the  same  j^lace,  three  and 
four  generations  back.  Probably,  Ebenezer  comes  the  first, 
the  seventh  child  in  the  family  of  the  celebrated  Elder  John, 
who,  for  almost  forty  years,  officiated  as  ruling  elder  of  the 
Northampton  church.  Only  two  others  held  this  title  in  the 
town,  viz. :  Preserved  Clapp,  and  the  foregoing  Ebenezer 
Strong.  An  estimable  man,  who  maintained  the  principles 
of  his  honored  father,  walked  in  his  steps,  was  honest,  fru- 
gal, industrious,  prosperous.  His  wife,  Hannah  Clapp,  was 
daughter  of  Nicholas,  deacon  of  the  Dorchester  church, 
whose  remarkable  orchard,  set  out  by  his  own  hands, 
reached   the   age   of  almost  two  hundred  years.      Her  sister. 


92  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

Esther,  married  Ebenezer's  brother,  Samuel,  the  ancestor  of 
Judge  Simeon  Strong.  In  early  life,  Ebenezer  was  called 
sergeant  and  deacon,  acted  as  constable  in  1679;  in  his  later 
years  was  known  by  his  ecclesiastical  title.  Elder  Ebenezer. 

Between  him  and  his  brother-in-law,  Esq.  Joseph  Parsons, 
notice  the  following  resemblances.  Both  were  born  before 
the  founding  of  Northampton,  were  minors  at  the  time  of 
their  coming,  the  first  sixteen,  the  other  eight.  Both  mar- 
ried near  the  same  time.  Elder  Ebenezer  in  1668,  Esq.  Joseph 
in  1669.  Their  dwellings  stood  in  the  same  neighborhood, 
on  the  same  side  of  the  street.  Whole  number  of  Ebenezer's 
children,  ten;  number  of  Esq.  Joseph's,  twelve.  Several  of 
the  children  of  each  family  transmitted  their  homesteads  in 
Northampton  down  through  a  number  of  generations.  Both 
for  a  long  period  served  as  selectmen,  sometimes  were  in 
office  together.  Both  deceased  in  1729,  Elder  Ebenezer  in 
February,  Esq.  Joseph  in  November.  The  former,  at  the 
age  of  86,  had  lived  seventy  years  in  the  town.  The  latter, 
82  at  his  decease,  had  lived  there  seventy-four  years.  The 
wife  of  ea<^h  outlived  her  husband. 

At  his  death.  Elder  Ebenezer's  estate  inventoried  at  950 
pounds.  Willed  all  his  part  in  the  tanyard  to  his  son  Eben- 
ezer. In  his  will,  gave  the  homestead  to  his  wife,  Hannah, 
except  that  part  on  which  the  house  and  barn  of  his  son 
Ebenezer  stands.  After  her  decease,  the  homestead,  with  the 
above  exceptions,  goes  to  his  seventh  child,  Jonathan.  Occu- 
pied the  place  sixty-one  years,  1668-1729. 

Pass  to  the  second  occupant,  viz. :  the  above  named  Jona- 
than. His  entire  career,  1683-1766,  passed  on  that  location, 
covered  a  period  of  eighty-three  years,  having  lived  not  as 
long  as  his  father  or  his  grandfather.  He  was  the  first 
of  as  many  as  five  or   six    of   the    same  name    in  the   town; 


AKCIEKT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  93 

most  of  them,  in  the  line  of  his  descendants,  lived  on  South 
street.  At  the  age  of  twenty  one,  viz.:  in  1704,  married 
Mehitable  Stebbins,  of  Springfield.  For  the  number  of  their 
children  see  below.  Fifty-eight  years  after  his  first  marriage, 
viz.:  in  1762,  in  his  eightieth  year,  married  for  his  second 
wife,  widow  Mary  Clapp,  daughter  of  the  celebrated  Ensign 
John  Sheldon,  of  Deer  field.  For  a  remarkable  incident 
given  in  the  earlier  and  later  life  of  these  two,  see  homestead 
number  thirty-one.  In  a  double,  or  emphatic  sense,  the  first 
Jonathan  Strong  might  be  styled  one  of  the  fathers  of  the 
town.  Not  only  was  he  selectman  several  times,  viz.:  in 
1731,  '33,  '37,  '41,  '46,  but  the  number  of  his  children 
amounted  to  seventeen,  wanting  only  one  of  the  number  in 
his  grandfather,  Elder  John's  family.  Thirteen  of  the  sev- 
enteen seem  to  have  married  and  settled  in  life.  Another, 
Elias,  who  died  unmarried,  at  the  age  of  52,  a  farmer,  in 
good  circumstances,  gave  all  his  real  estate  to  his  father; 
and  divided  his  personal  property  between  a  number  of  his 
brothers  and  sisters.  One  of  the  seventeen,  a  graduate  at 
Yale,  1740,  Kev.  Thomas,  settled  in  the  ministry  in  Berk- 
shire county,  at  New  Marlborough.  Some  of  his  descendants 
lived  in  Pittsfield.  It  is  related  of  the  father  of  the  seven- 
teen, viz. :  Jonathan,  that  while  living  he  gave  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  estate  to  his  children. 

Pass  to  the  succeeding  generation  and  occupant,  viz. :  the 
third  son  of  this  numerous  family,  Lt.  Caleb,  born  1710,  as 
to  intelligence,  breadth  of  intellect,  accuracy  of  judgment, 
in  no  way  inferior  to  those  before  him  on  the  homestead. 
Married  at  26,  Phebe  Lyman,  described  as  a  woman  of  abil- 
ity, fitted  by  her  talents  to  have  the  oversight  and  training, 
in  early  life,  of  one  destined  to  rank  among  the  most  eminent 

men    of  the    town.     Her  father's  family,  Capt.  Moses  Lyman, 
11 


94  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

who  owned  one-half  of  what  was  called  the  Mather  farm,  in 
the  very  center  of  the  settlement,  embracing  what  is  now 
Shop  Row,  contained  three  or  four  names,  who  became  an- 
cestors of  a  numerous  and  influential  line  of  descendants. 
Two  of  Phebe  Lyman's  brothers  were  graduates.  Lt.  Caleb 
Strong  was  the  fourth  and  the  last  of  the  Strong  race  of  tan- 
ners, which,  for  nearly  120  years,  1659-1776,  had  pursued  suc- 
cessfully that  employment,  not  far  from  the  center  of  the 
town.  Some  years  since,  in  excavating  ground  for  the  foun- 
dation of  a  warehouse,  the  workmen  came  upon  the  re- 
mains of  the  old  tan  vats,  about  four  feet  below  the  pres- 
ent surface,  on  a  part  of  what  has  been  long  known  as 
the  homestead  of  Gov.  Caleb  Strong.  A  son  of  the  Hon. 
Lewis  thus  writes :  "  Near  the  brook  which  ran  through 
our  place,  I  have  often  seen  the  remains  of  the  tan  vats 
of  my  ancestors."  Of  the  twelve  children  of  Lt.  Caleb  and 
Phebe,  four  were  sons.  Only  one  of  the  four  survived 
early  childhood.  This  one,  Caleb,  Jr.,  on  whom  the  hopes 
of  the  parents  strongly  centered,  they  resolved,  should  have 
the  earliest  and  best  advantages.  Cannot  follow  his  career, 
first  under  Eev.  Samuel  Moody  of  York,  Maine,  a  noted 
teacher  of  that  period,  by  whom  he  was  fitted  for  college; 
next  at  Harvard  college,  1760-64,  where  he  received  the 
highest  honors  at  his  graduation.  Cannot  detail  the  diffi- 
culties he  afterward  encountered  with  impaired  eyesight, 
pressing  his  way  slowly  forward,  having  the  best  assistance 
at  home  and  in  the  law  office  of  Major  Hawley  until,  in 
1772,  at  the  age  of  28,  his  aspirations  realized,  he  entered 
the  bar  of  his  native  county,  having  the  confidence  and 
good  will  of  the  community,  as  shown  by  the  significant 
fact  that  the  same  year,  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  select- 
men of  the  town.      Four  years  later,   1776,  the  year  his  son 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  95 

received  the  appointment  of  county  attorney,  Lt.  Caleb 
deceased,  having  lived  on  the  homestead  into  his  sixty-sixth 
year.  His  widow  survived  him,  on  the  same,  26  years, 
Jan.  5,  1802,  being  in  her  eighty-fifth  year,  having  seen 
her  son  rising  higher  and  higher  in  public  esteem,  and 
three   times   chosen   Governor  of  the   Commonwealth. 

The  fourth  on  the  homestead,  whose  early  career  has 
already  been  noticed,  stands  the  honored  name  of  Gov. 
Caleb  Strong,  the  fifth  in  descent,  counting  from  Elder 
John,  of  a  distinguished  line.  Born  Jan.  9,  1745,  he  de- 
ceased suddenly,  1819,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year.  At  the 
age  of  32,  1777,  married  Sarah  Hooker,  daughter  of  Kev. 
John,  the  fourth  minister  of  the  town.  Number  of  their 
children,  nine.  Three  of  the  sons  received  a  public  edu- 
cation. County  attorney  for  twenty-four  years,  a  member 
of  the  convention  for  forming  the  State  Constitution  of 
Massachusetts,  a  State  Senator,  elected  delegate  to  the  con- 
vention which  formed  the  present  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  U.  S.  Senator  in  the  First  Congress,  1788-94,  and 
again,  1794-1800,  but  resigned  his  seat  before  the  expiration 
of  the  second  term.  In  1800,  chosen  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts, not  a  single  vote  cast  against  him  in  seven  or 
eight  towns,  of  which  Northampton  was  the  center.  Ten 
years  Governor.  Described  as  of  a  gentle  spirit,  simple  in 
his  tastes  and  manners,  frugal,  modest  prudent,  discreet, 
domestic  in  his  habits.  A  pillar  in  the  church  in  North- 
ampton for  forty-seven  years,  1772-1819.  For  many  years 
president  of  the  Hampshire  County  Missionary  Society,  and 
the  Hampshire  Bible  Society.  In  his  later  years,  much 
given  to  the  study  of  the  scriptures.  Lived  with  his  wife, 
a  woman  of  superior  sense  and  piety,  granddaughter  of 
of   Col.    Worthington  of   Springfield,  forty  years.      Says  one  : 


96  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

"  their  home   was  full   of  sunshine   and  of    the    peace    and 
presence   of   God." 

The  homestead  next  passed  into  the  hands  of  Hon.  Lewis 
Strong,  fourth  child  of  Gov.  Caleb,  born  1785,  graduated  at 
Harvard  in  the  class  of  1803  ;  after  studying  law  in  the  office 
of  his  uncle,  Judge  Hooker,  at  Sj^ringfield,  and  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  pursued  the  duties  of  his  profession 
some  thirty  years  in  his  native  town.  Banked  high  as  a 
lawyer.  Married  in  1810,  Maria  Chester  of  Wethersfield, 
Ct.  Whole  number  of  their  children,  ten;  five  sons  and 
five  daughters.  All  the  sons  received  a  public  education. 
Two  of  the  sons,  Edward,  M.  D.,  and  Eev.  Stephen  Ches- 
ter, live  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  the  former  employed  in 
the  office  of  Secretary  of  State.  In  1850,  the  Strong  man- 
sion, gambrel  roofed,  which  stood  opposite  the  Asahel  Pom- 
eroy  dwelling,  was  removed  to  its  present  locality,  on  Pleas- 
ant street,  the  land  at  the  time  of  the  removal,  and  for 
a  number  of  years  after,  as  is  supposed,  being  a  part  of 
the  ancient  homestead.  Hon.  Lewis  Strong,  a  christian 
gentleman,  lawyer,  citizen,  trustee  of  Amherst  college,  1825- 
33,  for  many  years  deacon  of  the  First  Church,  deceased, 
universally  esteemed,  in  1863.  The  homestead  was  owned 
one  year,  1863-4,  by  his  son-in-law,  Wm.  N.  Matson,  of 
Hartford,  Ct.  Continued  in  the  family,  1668-1864,  one 
hundred  and  ninety-six  years,  in  connection  with  six  gen- 
erations. Number  of  children  born  on  the  place,  in  the 
five  families  of  Strongs,  Ebenezer's,  Jonathan's,  the  two 
Caleb's,  and  the  Hon.  Lewis',  fifty-eight.  Ten  of  the  fifty- 
eight  received  a  public  education.  Whole  number  of  chil- 
dren born  on  this  homestead,  including  the  thirteen  of 
Ebenezer,  Jr.,  whose  house  and  barn  stood  upon  it,  seventy- 
one,  almost  an  average  of  twelve  for  each  of  the  six  fam- 
ilies. 


.  ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  97 

w 

The  Pomeroy  liomestead,  Dea.  Medad's,  and  some  of  his 
line,  of  the  second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  generations. 
Number  five.  Earliest  date,  1665,  four  years  from  the  time  of 
his  marriage.  The  original  sketch  located  this  homestead,  by 
mistake,  between  Pleasant  and  Hawley  streets,  not  far  from 
the  Nonotuck  House.  Some  expressions  in  a  deed  Dea. 
Medad  gave  to  his  son.  Major  Ebenezer,  in  1709,  seemed  to 
favor  this  location.  Subsequent  and  particular  research,  how- 
ever, fixes  it  elsewhere,  viz. :  between  meeting  house  hill, 
easterly,  and  the  Justin  Smith  place,  on  Elm  street,  westerly. 
This  is  understood  to  accord  with  the  view  entertained  by 
the  late  Sylvester  Judd,  a  valuable  antiquarian  authority. 

It  may  be  here  inserted  that  one  year  ago,  before  any 
of  the  homestead  historicals  appeared  in  print,  in  sug- 
gesting to  another  the  idea  of  looking  up  and  ascertaining 
the  whereabouts  of  Dea.  Medad's  place  of  residence,  the 
writer  then  added,  as  a  sort  of  encouragement,  **it  will  be  a 
great  achievement."  Meaning  not  simply  difficult,  laborious, 
but  valuable.  Though  mistaken  in  the  first  spot  chosen, 
happily  the  work  has  since  been  thoroughly  accomplished. 
See  an  interesting  sketch  in  the  Hampshire  Gazette,  May 
18th,  1881,  on  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy,  by  J.  E.  Trumbull. 
Much  as  the  writer  regretted  the  occurrence  of  the  mistake^ 
yet  in  all  probability,  it  has  been  the  means  of  developing 
and  diffusing  a  fuller  acquaintance  with  some  antiquities  of 
the  town. 

But  passing  these  preliminaries,  for  a  brief  recital  of  Dea. 
Medad's  parentage,  nativity,  occupation,  date  of  joining  the 
settlement,  viz. :  1659,  long  career  as  a  public  man,  his  wealth 
and  eminent  usefulness,  see  chapter  sixteenth.  Deacons  in  Early 
Times  of  the  Northampton  Church.  Married  at  the  age  of 
twenty- three,  1661,  Experience  Woodward,  daughter  of  Henry, 


98  AN^TIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

wlio  came  from  England;  one  of  the  seven  pillars  of  the 
church,  killed  by  lightning  at  the  upper  mill,  1683.  They 
lived  together  twenty-five  years.  At  forty-eight,  1686,  mar- 
ried for  his  second  wife,  Abigail  Chauncey,  widow  of  Eev. 
Nathaniel,  of  Hatfield,  and  daughter  of  Elder  John  Strong. 
Lived  together  about  eighteen  years.  Name  of  his  third 
wife,  Hannah,  widow  of  Thomas  Noble,  of  Westfield.  Whole 
number  of  his  children,  twelve.  Add  the  five  children  of 
Mrs.  Chauncey  at  the  time  of  their  marriage,  three  of  them 
quite  young,  the  number  amounts  to  seventeen.  Two  of 
these  seventeen,  both  ministers,  were  among  the  earliest  grad- 
uates of  Yale  College.  One  of  them,  Eev.  Nathaniel  Chaun- 
cey, died  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  his  pastorate  at  Durham, 
Ct.,  ancestor  of  a  long  line  of  descendants,  among  them  a 
number  of  distinguished  men. 

Dea.  Medad's  home-lot,  at  first  one  acre  in  extent,  after- 
wards comprised  between  five  and  six  acres.  The  house 
erected  by  him,  1665,  says  Mr.  Trumbull,  "stood  near  the 
spot  formerly  occupied  by  Colonnade  Eow,  known  also  as 
Curtis'  tavern,  now  a  vacant  lot  near  the  Edwards  church." 
Not  far  from  his  dwelling  stood  his  blacksmith's  shop,  some- 
what celebrated  for  the  names  associated  with  it,  and  the 
amount  of  business  there  carried  on.  On  this  homestead, 
Dea.  Medad  lived  fifty-one  years,  1665-1716,  serving  the 
town  in  various  capacities,  selectman,  town  clerk,  and 
treasurer,  register  of  deeds,  reiDresentative  for  a  number 
of  sessions  to  the  colonial  legislature,  besides  officiating  forty- 
one  years  as  deacon  in  the  church.  He  survived  nearly  all 
the  original  settlers,  and  saw  several  hundred  members  admit- 
ted to  the  church,  having  been  connected  with  it  from  its 
organization,  fifty-five  years.  Seven  of  his  twelve  children 
survived  him;    three    of  them  were    sons  and  four  daughters. 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  99 

Samuel,  born  1687,  a  minister,  was  settled  on  Long  Island. 
Thankful,  born  1674,  married,  1698,  Lt.  Benjamin  Lyman, 
who  lived  on  Pleasant  street,  one  of  the  ancestors  of  the 
late  Theodore  and    of  Henry,    the    martyr   missionary. 

Pass  to  the  second  on  the  Dea.  Medad  homestead,  viz. :  his 
son,  Ebenezer,  known  by  his  military  and  civil  titles,  Major 
and  Honorable.  Among  the  Ebenezers  of  that  period,  natives 
of  the  town,  several  of  them  men  of  note,  this  one  j^robably 
for  ability  and  capacity,  ranked  as  high  as  any.  Born  May 
30th,  1669,  he  deceased  1754,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year.  Cotem- 
porary  with  him  were  two  other  noted  men.  Col.  John  Stod- 
dard and  Col.  Timothy  Dwight.  Major  Ebenezer  married 
his  cousin,  Hannah  Strong,  March,  1691.  She  died  in  No- 
vember of  the  same  year.  Full  name  of  his  second  wife  not 
ascertained.  His  daughter  Sarah  married  Noah  Wright; 
Thankful  married  Gad  Lyman,  in  1738;  late  in  life  moved 
to  Goshen,  became  the  ancestors  of  the  Lymans  of  that  town. 
Gad  and  Thankful  were  the  great-grandj^arents  of  F.  W. 
Lyman,  of  Kenosha,  Wis.  Major  Ebenezer's  sons  were  John, 
Ebenezer,  Simeon,  Josiah,  Seth,  Daniel.  The  homestead, 
twice  as  large  as  Dea.  Medad's,  comprised  twelve  acres  in  the 
heart  of  the  settlement.  Built  his  celebrated  dwelling,  remem- 
bered by  not  a  few  now,  at  the  westerly  end,  a  sightly  spot 
and  structure,  near  where  the  Mansion  house  stood.  The 
precise  date  of  its  erection  not  known.  In  later  years,  when 
occupied  by  his  grandson,  it  went  by  the  name  of  Red  Tavern. 
Major  Ebenezers  public  career,  entered  upon  in  early  life, 
embraced  a  period  of  some  forty  years.  One  circumstance 
may  be  given  indicating  his  acquaintance  and  connection  with 
the  legal  profession.  In  a  celebrated  trial  of  two  or  more 
Indians,  for  murder  committed  in  Hadley  about  the  year 
1696,  which  caused  much  excitement   in   the    county,    Major 


100  AN"TIQUITIES    A^B    HISTORICALS. 

Ebenezer  Pomeroy,  then  not  thirty  years  of  age,  acted  as 
King's  attorney;  one  of  the  jury  was  his  father,  Dea. 
Medad. 

Come  next  to  the  successors  of  the  third  generation  on 
this  homestead,  viz. :  Daniel,  Seth,  and  John,  all  military  char- 
acters. Lt.  Daniel,  who  had  the  mansion  and  five  acres,  sur- 
vived his  father  on  the  place  only  a  year,  being  one  of  the  three 
Northampton  men  killed  at  Lake  George,  in  August,  1755. 
Seth,  the  same  as  Col.  Seth,  a  patriot  of  the  revolution,  at  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  besides  being  an  intrepid  soldier  and  a 
brave  officer,  was  also  an  ingenious  manufacturer  of  fire  arms. 
His  homestead  of  three  acres,  where  his  children  were  born,  lay 
easterly  and  nearest  the  meeting  house.  His  shop,  in  his 
later  years,  stood  between  Pleasant  and  Hawley  streets.  John's 
portion,  Capt.  John,  as  he  was  known,  a  house,  shop,  and  four 
acres,  seems  to  have  comprised  the  original  house  and  shop  of 
his  grandfather,  Dea.  Medad.  Such  were  the  Pomeroy  occu- 
pants of  the  third  generation. 

Pass  briefly  to  the  fourth.  For  half  a  century,  1755-1805, 
the  red  tavern,  so  called,  was  associated  with  the  name  of 
Major  Daniel  Pomeroy,  son  of  Lt.  Daniel.  At  the  latter 
date,  1805,  three  years  before  his  decease,  sold  the  same  to 
Esq.  Levi  Lyman.  Long  before  this,  that  part  inherited  by 
Capt.  John  and  his  son,  Capt.  Elisha,  being  the  original 
homestead  of  Dea.  Medad,  passed  into  the  possession  of 
others.  It  remains  to  speak  of  Col.  Seth's  family,  on  the 
easterly  part  of  the  Pomeroy  estate.  He  had  five  sons, 
viz.:  Quartus,  born  1735,  a  blacksmith,  lived  on  Pleasant 
street;  shop  stood  where  the  first  passenger  depot  on  the 
Conn.  Eiver  K.  R.  was  built.  He  had  a  trip  hammer  run 
by  the  water  power  of  the  brook.  The  large  mansion, 
afterwards  the   Nonotuck   house,   was   built  towards  the  lat- 


ANCIEKT    NORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  101 

ter  part  of  the  last  century,  and  occupied  by  liim;  num- 
ber of  his  children  ten,  four  sons  and  six  daughters.  One 
of  the  four  graduated  at  Harvard  in  the  class  of  1786. 
Lemuel  lived  in  Southampton,  father  of  Gamaliel,  of  the 
same  town,  of  Lemuel  of  Pittsfield,  and  of  Theodore,  a 
physician  in  Utica.  Seth,  the  oldest,  graduated  at  Yale,  1753, 
a  tutor  there,  1756-57.  Settled  in  the  ministry  at  Greenfield 
Hill,  Ct.,  where  he  deceased,  1770,  father  of  Jonathan  Law 
Pomeroy,  for  many  years  minister  of  Worthington.  Medad,  or 
Doctor  Medad,  a  graduate  of  Yale,  1757,  a  physician  till 
1819,  in  Warwick,  grandfather  of  the  late  Mrs.  Abby  Pom- 
eroy Lathrop,  wife  of  Joseph  Lathrop.  Asahel,  born  1750, 
the  father  of  Miss  Polly  Pomeroy  and  others.  He  was  a 
farmer,  remained  on  the  homestead  and  received  it  from 
his  father.  Built  a  hotel  on  a  part  of  it,  afterwards  called 
the  Warner  house,  which  he  sold  in  1821.  Deceased  in 
1833,  in  his  eighty-fourth  year,  when  the  residue  of  the 
homestead,  **  the  last  of  the  original  Pomeroy  property  on 
Main  street  was  sold."  These  were  Col.  Seth's  five  sons, 
viz. :  Quartus,  Lemuel,  Seth,  Medad,  Asahel.  Counting 
from  the  time  of  Dea.  Medad's  purchase  and  the  erection 
of  his  dwelling  in  1665,  down  to  the  year  above  specified, 
1833,  the  Pomeroy  estate  covered  a  period  more  or  less  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  years,  in  connection  with  five 
generations. 

It  may  be  added,  in  conclusion,  that  Major  Daniel  had 
two  brothers,  both,  at  one  time,  owners  and  occupants  on 
the  homestead  of  their  father,  viz.:  Pliny  and  William. 
The  latter,  William,  a  clothier,  lived  at  the  foot  of  Man- 
sion house  hill,  father  of  Col.  Thomas,  late  of  Florence, 
and  of  Daniel,  of  North ville,  Michigan;  also,  of  Nancy, 
wife  of  William  Bolter.  After  his  death,  in  1808,  it  be- 
12 


102  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

came  the  Bolter  homestead.  Pliny  Pomeroy  was  father  of 
Gains,  who  lived  on  Elm  street,  next  below  the  honse  of 
the  late  Kev.  Dr.  Hall.  Gains  Pomeroy  is  remembered  as 
the  grandfather  of  William  K.  Wright,  of  Mrs.  Elijah 
Bartlett,  and  of  her  brother,  Edwin  Pomeroy,  all  three  of 
the   sixth  generation   from   Dea.    Medad. 

One  more  particular.  The  Pomeroy  homestead  is  remark- 
able for  the  number  born  upon  it  in  the  line  of  Dea.  Me- 
dad, having  military  titles,  at  least  eight,  viz.:  Major  Ebe- 
nezer,  Oapt.  John,  Ensign  Josiah,  Col.  Seth,  Lt.  Daniel, 
Major  Daniel,  Capt.  Elisha,  and  last,  but  not  least,  having 
attained  a  greater  age  than  any  of  the  seven,  viz. :  the 
recently  deceased  and  much  respected  Col.  Thomas,  in  early 
life  characterized  for  his  kind,  accommodating  manners, 
and  for  many  years   deacon   of  the  Florence  church. 

Homestead  number  six.  Dea.  Jonathan  Hunt,  Elm  street. 
The  first  of  a  series  of  the  same  name,  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood, father,  son,  grandson,  great-grandson.  Of  Hartford 
origin,  born  there,  1637.  After  acquiring  a  valuable  trade, 
and  laying  the  foundation  of  an  excellent  character,  he  left 
his  native  town,  passed  up  the  river  through  Windsor  and 
Springfield,  and  joined  the  Northampton  settlement.  Oppor- 
tune his  arrival,  proving  an  acquisition  to  that  infant  com- 
munity of  great  worth.  No  wonder  he  received  a  cordial 
welcome,  a  home  lot  and  sixteen  acres  of  land.  When  about 
twenty-five,  Sept.  3d,  1662,  he  married  Clemenza  Hosmer,  of 
Hartford.  Home  lot  situated  on  what  long  afterward  became 
Elm  street;  at  that  early  date  no  highway  ran  past  his  prem- 
ises. The  familiar  name  of  Lt.  William  Clark  preceded 
Dea.  Jonathan  in  that  part  of  the  town.  The  Clarks  and 
the  Hunts  of  several  generations,  as  many  as  five,  were  neigh- 
bors on  that  street,  the  former  mostly  on    the  west  side,  the 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  103 

latter  on  the  east.  It  is  thought  that  the  first  Hunt  dwell- 
ing, a  stone's  throw  and  more  from  the  log  structure  first 
erected  by  Lt.  William,  stood  not  far  from  the  Mills  place, 
now  owned  by  Miss  Burnham.  Here  Dea.  Jonathan  lived. 
Whole  number  of  his  children  eight,  four  sons  and  four 
daughters.  In  public  estimation  on  the  same  footing  with 
the  celebrated  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy,  between  whom  might 
be  instanced  several  resemblances.  Both  were  born  the  same 
year,  1637,  turned  their  attention  about  the  same  time  to  a 
useful  trade,  Dea.  Hunt  that  of  a  cooper,  Dea.  Medad  that 
of  a  blacksmith.  Both,  skilled  workmen  in  their  respective 
branches,  came  to  Northamj^ton  about  the  same  time.  Appre- 
ciated by  the  settlers,  both  received  the  same  welcome  and 
the  same  quantity  of  land.  Both  lived  on  the  same  side  of 
the  highway,  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  apart.  Both  acted 
together  for  a  series  of  years  on  the  board  of  selectmen,  also 
officiated  at  the  same  time,  till  Dea.  Hunt's  decease,  in  1691, 
as  deacons  of  the  church.  Both  made  their  influence  felt 
for  good  in  the  community.  But  passing  the  first  occupant, 
only  fifty-four  when  he  finished  his  work,  outliving  his  wife 
two  short  years,  1689-91. 

The  next  link  in  the  chain  of  descent  comes  the  name  of 
his  second  son,  usually  styled  Lt.  Jonathan,  born  1666. 
From  this  date  onward  to  his  fifty-ninth  year,  1724,  resided 
on  this  spot.  Intelligent,  forehanded,  public-spirited.  For 
a  further  account  of  him,  on  what  is  now  the  S.  E.  Bridg- 
man  place,  and  the  disposal  he  made  of  his  estates  to  his 
sons,  Joseph,  John,  and  Jonathan,  also  the  amount  he  willed 
the  town  for  the  support  of  common  schools,  and  for  other 
items  pertaining  to  his  descendants  of  the  Henshaw  family, 
see  Homestead  twenty-five.  In  passing,  reference  seems  proper 
to  his  younger  brother,  Ebenezer,  who  married  a  Clark,  daugh- 


104  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

ter  of  CsLjit.  William,  son  of  Lt.  William.  The  first  twenty- 
five  years  of  their  married  life  they  spent  on  Bridge  street, 
greatly  prospered,  having  a  family  of  thirteen.  Then,  fol- 
lowing the  example  of  Capt.  William,  they  moved  to  Leb- 
anon, Ct.  Two  of  the  thirteen,  however,  afterward  settled 
in  Northamj^ton,  viz. :  Dea.  Ebenezer,  and  Beulah,  who 
married  Jacob  Parsons,  whose  large  family  of  twelve,  on 
Bridge  street,  supplied  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  her  father's 
removal. 

As  the  third  occupant  of  the  ensuing  generation,  son  of 
the  lieutenant,  comes  the  name  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Hunt, 
born  1697.  At  twenty-seven,  viz. :  1724;  married  Thankful 
Strong,  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Jerijah,  remarkable  as 
being  the  eighteenth  and  youngest  child  of  Elder  John. 
They  lived  together  forty-four  years,  till  1768,  being  the 
date  of  his  decease,  in  his  seventy-second  year.  She  sur- 
vived him  seventeen  years,  having  lived  on  Elm  street  from 
the  time  of  her  marriage,  sixty-one  years.  Number  of  their 
children  six,  two  daughters  and  four  sons.  Martha  and 
Mary,  the  oldest  and  youngest  of  the  six,  both  married 
ministers.  Martha's  husband,  Eev.  Stephen  Williams,  Jr., 
settled  at  Woodstock,  Ct.,  was  a  descendant  of  the  third 
generation  of  that  remarkable  woman,  Esther  Mather  Stod- 
dard, and  therefore  partly  of  Northampton  origin.  His 
father,  Rev.  Stephen  W.,  Sr.,  minister  of  Longmeadow,  a 
historical  character,  had  a  wonderful  experience,  when  a  boy. 
Born  in  Deerfield,  1693,  son  of  Eev.  John  and  Eunice, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Eleazar  Mather,  first  minister  of  North- 
ampton, at  the  age  of  eleven,  1704,  he,  including  others  of 
the  family  and  of  the  settlement,  was  carried  captive,  by  the 
Indians,  to  Canada;  long  and  tedious  the  journey,  many  the 
privations,  perils  and   sufferings.      Twenty-one   months   after- 


AifCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  105 

ward,  he  returned  by  way  of  Boston.  Graduated  at  Harvard 
1713,  three  years  later  settled  at  Longmeadow.  In  subse- 
quent life,  it  is  said,  he  never  wearied  in  recalling  and  rela- 
ting the  thrilling  adventures  of  that  portion  of  his  early  his- 
tory. All  classes  regarded  him  with  peculiar  emotions;  ex- 
ceedingly entertaining  his  reminiscences.  He  died  in  the 
ninetieth  year  of  his  age  and  the  sixty-sixth  of  his  ministry, 
having  held  out  in  his  work  almost  to  the  very  last.  Eev. 
Stephen,  Jr.,  and  Martha  Hunt,  had  six  children.  One  of 
them,  the  third  Rev.  Stephen,  settled  at  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H. ; 
deceased  1822,  at  the  age   of  sixty. 

Mary  Hunt  married,  1768,  Rev.  Benjamin  Mills,  the  first 
minister  of  Chesterfield,  settled  there  1764;  dismissed  on 
account  of  feeble  health,  at  his  own  request,  in  1774.  He 
died  at  Chesterfield,  1785,  having  represented  the  town  several 
times  in  the  Provincial  Congress,  and  afterwards  in  the  Gen- 
eral Court.  His  wife  preceded  him  in  her  departure  some 
six  years.  Whole  number  of  their  children  five,  perhaps  six. 
The  youngest,  Hon.  E.  H.  Mills,  born  1777,  two  when  his 
mother  died,  was  early  taken,  reared,  educated  by  her  brother 
Elijah,  in  Northampton.  See  below.  Three  or  more  de- 
scendants of  Rev.  Benjamin  Mills,  of  Chesterfield,  graduated 
at  Williams  college,  one  in  1797,  one  in  1814,  another  in  1851. 

Already  anticipated,  the  name  of  the  fourth  on  the  ancient 
homestead,  viz. :  Elijah  Hunt,  the  second  son  of  Capt.  Jon- 
athan, born  1720.  Married  Hannah  Lyman,  daughter  of 
Capt.  Moses.  She  died  1788,  and  for  his  second  wife  mar- 
ried Jane  Kirby,  of  Boston.  No  children  by  either  marriage. 
His  house  stood  a  few  rods  west  of  the  old  one.  Twelve  or 
more  times  chosen  selectman.  One  of  the  fifteen  prominent 
citizens  who  served  in  1775,  as  committee  of  correspondence, 
inspection  and  safety.      His  widow  survived  him  sixteen  years, 


106  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

1802-18.  Joel,  a  brother,  lived  on  tlie  northeast  corner  of 
the  homestead.  Another  brother,  Dea.  Jonathan,  father  of 
Abner  and  eleven  others,  lived  near  on  Prospect  street. 

One  more  name  on  this  homestead,  the  fifth,  viz.:  Elijah 
Hunt  Mills.  About  the  first  of  this  century,  Esq.  Mills 
built  his  dwelling  where  the  family  resided  till  1832,  being  of 
the  sixth  generation,  one  hundred  and  seventy  years  from  the 
marriage  of  the  first  ancestor,  Dea.  Jonathan  Hunt.  Fuller 
items  of  the  Mills  family  given  elsewhere. 

Homestead  number  seven.  Samuel  Wright,  Jr.  Published 
as  originally  written.  Its  unbroken  continuance  in  that  line 
for  so  long  a  period,  justly  entitles  it  to  the  name  of  the 
banner  homestead  of  the  town,  and  possibly  of  the  whole  of 
Western  Massachusetts.  Married  in  Springfield,  in  1653,  he 
came  as  a  settler  in  company  with  his  venerable  father,  in 
1655,  and  the  next  year  appears  as  one  of  the  three  select- 
men. As  in  the  case  of  the  other  settlers,  he  probably  re- 
ceived his  home-lot  as  a  gift  of  the  town,  and  received  it 
soon  after  the  time  of  his  coming.  Notice  a  sentence  in  the 
will  of  Samuel,  Sr.,  dated  in  1663,  ^'As  for  my  beloved  son 
Samuel,  he  having  had  some  estate  formerly,  and  by  God's 
blessing  he  being  well  provided  for,  etc.,"  referring  probably 
to  his  homestead,  and  it  may  be  other  landed  property,  and 
implying  that  he  had  been  several  years  owner  of  the  same. 
Now  respecting  this  ancient  homestead,  it  may  be  said,  and 
the  fact  is  a  remarkable  one,  it  has  never  passed  out  of  the 
hands  of  that  family.  The  present  venerable  occupant  and 
owner,  Samuel  Wright,  ninety-two,  on  the  30th  of  Dec,  1879, 
has  always,  it  is  understood,  lived  on  the  place.  Born  there 
in  1788,  the  fifth  of  his  father's  nine  children,  the  interme- 
diate links  in  the  chain  of  descent  comprise  the  following: 
Samuel  of  the  third  generation,  John  of  the  fourth,  Samuel 


*  AKCIEKT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  107 

of  the  fifth,  born  1751,  died  1818,  father  of  the  nonagena- 
rian. Thus,  on  the  supposition  that  Samuel,  Jr.,  received 
his  homestead  in  the  year  1655,  it  has  continued  in  the  fam- 
ily through  the  long  period  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years.  That  is,  through  the  whole  time  of  Northampton  his- 
tory, excepting  the  first  year,  1654.  It  may,  therefore,  prop- 
erly be  styled  the  banner  homestead  of  the  town.  How 
many  such  exist  in  the  four  Western  counties  of  the  State, 
the  writer  cannot  say.  Since  the  foregoing  was  penned  and 
printed,  in  1879,  Samuel  Wright,  the  last  on  this  homestead, 
has  deceased,  in  his  ninety-third  year. 

Homestead  number  eight.  Kev.  Solomon  Stoddard.  Con- 
tained four  acres,  more  or  less,  on  the  easterly  end  of  Round 
Hill,  the  boundaries  stated  in  the  town  records,  twenty  rods 
wide  at  one  end,  sixteen  at  the  other.  The  house  then 
erected,  about  1672,  was  probably  the  same  as  the  Henry 
Rose  Hinckley  dwelling,  with  the  exception  of  the  main  build- 
ing, which  the  second  Solomon  Stoddard  built,  one  hundred 
and  ten  years  or  so  later,  after  the  revolutionary  war.  A 
historical  structure,  that  first  one,  for  the  second  minister. 
The  occupants  of  the  first  and  second  generations  were  histor- 
ical characters,  the  ancestors  of  how  many  honored  names  in 
the  various  professions.  Here  lived  that  remarkable  woman 
for  over  sixty  years,  wife  of  the  first  pastor,  Mr.  Mather,  the 
estimable  companion  of  the  second,  Mr.  Stoddard,  Esther 
Mather  Stoddard. 

Here  were  born  the  twelve  childi'en,  six  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters, of  the  first  couple  who  lived  on  the  homestead.  Here 
lived  the  ninth  of  the  twelve,  the  renowned  Col.  John  Stod- 
dard, respecting  whom  in  his  funeral  sermon  President  Edwards 
thus  wrote,  in  1748:  "Upon  the  whole,  everything  in  him 
was  great,  and  perhaps  there  never  was  a  man  in  New  Eng- 


108  AN-TIQITITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

land  to  whom  the  denomination  of  a  great  man  did  more 
plainly  belong."  Here  his  seven  or  eight  children  were  born. 
Here,  until  1809,  lived  the  son  of  Col.  John,  Solomon  S., 
the  high  sheriff  of  the  county,  one  of  whose  children,  Solo- 
mon Stoddard,  the  third  of  the  name,  will  be  remembered  by 
some  as  clerk  of  the  courts  for  many  years,  who  lived  and 
died,  almost  ninety,  next  to  the  Justin  Smith  house,  on  Elm 
street.  The  last  child  of  the  Stoddard  race,  born  at  this 
ancient  household,  in  March,  1809,  was  John  Stoddard,  recent- 
ly deceased,  at  Savannah,  fifth  son  of  the  third  Solomon.  May 
1,  1809,  the  property  was  sold  to  Seth  Wright  of  Boston,  hav- 
ing been  in  the  hands  of  the  Stoddard  line  one  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  years,  from  1672  to  1809,  the  estate  at  one  time 
having  embraced  the  whole  of  Kound  Hill. 

Homestead  number  nine.  Deacon  Ebenezer  Wright.  Sec- 
ond son  of  Samuel,  Jr.,  born  in  1662,  married  at  twenty-two 
Elisabeth,  a  granddaughter  of  Elder  John  Strong.  They  had 
one  child,  Mary  Wright,  that  died  five  days  before  its 
mother,  Feb.  12th,  1691.  He  married  for  his  second  wife,  Dec. 
19th,  1692,  Hannah  Hunt,  daughter  of  Lt.  Jonathan,  on  Elm 
street.  They  had  eight  children.  As  to  the  time  Dea.  Eben- 
ezer established  himself  on  Bridge  street,  cannot  speak  with 
exactness.  Probably  about  1684,  thirty  years  or  more  from 
the  settlement  of  the  town.  This  ancient  homestead  has 
continued  from  father  to  son  through  five  generations  into 
the  sixth,  until  now.  Dea.  Ebenezer  lived  on  the  place  until 
1748.  From  him  it  descended  to  his  son  Capt.  Noah,  born 
in  1699,  who  died  in  1775,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six.  Of 
his  six  sons,  Joel  succeeded  to  the  homestead,  where  he  lived 
from  the  time  of  his  birth,  in  1743,  to  1796,  fifty-three 
years,  leaving  six  sons  and  three  daughters.  One  of  these 
six  was  the  Joel  Wright,  a   graduate   of  Yale   in    1785,    who 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  109 

went  to  South  America,  engaged  in  business  several  years, 
and  died  there  in  1797,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight.  Noah, 
a  younger  brother  of  the  graduate,  the  fourth  son  of  the  pre- 
ceding, inherited  the  place,  where,  at  the  age  of  forty-one, 
he  deceased,  in  1816,  the  father  of  five  children.  His  oldest 
son,  Christopher,  nephew  of  the  graduate,  next  held  the 
property.  There  he  deceased.  His  children,  James  G. 
Wright,  and  sisters  of  the  sixth  generation  from  Dea.  Eben- 
ezer,  now  occupy  with  their  aunt  this  ancient  homestead, 
having  been  in  the  family  the  long  space  of  about  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-seven  years.  The  father  of  Rev.  J.  E.  M. 
Wright,  of  Goshen,  was  brother  of  Christopher,  and  born  on 
this  place. 

Homestead  number  ten.  Lieut.  John  Lyman,  South  Farms, 
near  Smiths  Ferry.  The  first  probably  to  locate,  in  those 
perilous  times,  so  far  from  the  center.  Born  on  Pleasant 
street,  in  1660.  Here  his  father,  of  the  same  name  and 
title,  the  first  Lieut.  John,  brother  of  Richard,  both  born  in 
England,  settled.  Just  here  it  may  be  proper  to  say  that 
originally  the  Lymans  centered  on  Pleasant  Street,  as  the 
Wrights  did  on  Bridge  street,  and  the  Clarks  on  Elm  street, 
and  the  Aliens  on  King  street.  It  was  Lieut.  John,  the  set- 
tler, on  Pleasant  street,  who  had  command  of  the  North- 
ampton soldiers  in  the  famous  Falls  fight,  above  Deerfield, 
in  King  Philip's  war,  where  much  military  valor  was  dis- 
played. May  18th,  1676. 

Comparatively  young,  twenty-seven,  partaking  of  his  father's 
courage,  Lieut.  John,  Jr.,  located  himself  at  South  Farms 
in  1687,  a  farmer  and  an  innkeeper,  where  he  lived  fifty- 
three  years,  until  the  advanced  age  of  eighty,  in  prosperous 
circumstances.      Himself  one  of  ten   children,  so  in  his  turn 

he  became  the   father  of   the   same   number.      One   of  them 
13 


110  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORIC ALS. 

went  to  Yale  college.  Before  speaking  of  his  successor,  a 
few  words  seem  in  point  respecting  his  brother,  Dea.  Caleb 
Lyman,  Esq.,  born  at  Northampton  in  1678,  who  resided  at 
Boston,  one  of  the  thirteen  who  organized,  in  1714,  the  new 
North  church  of  that  city,  and  one  of  its  first  deacons;  a 
justice  of  the  peace;  useful  in  all  the  relations  he  sustained. 
Who,  at  his  decease,  left  a  legacy  of  five  hundred  pounds 
for  the    use  of  the  pastors  of  that  church  and  their  widows. 

The  next  at  the  homestead,  at  South  Farms,  born  in  1710, 
was  Elias  Lyman,  the  fourth  son  of  Lieut.  John,  Jr.,  also  an 
innkeeper  and  a  farmer,  whose  wife,  Hannah  Allen,  born  on 
King  street,  was  a  daughter  of  Dea.  Samuel.  The  ancestor  of 
several  who  became  eminent  in  the  ministry,  he  lived  on  the 
homestead,  in  all,  from  1710  until  1790,  having  consequently 
attained  the  same  age,  viz. :  fourscore,  as  his  father.  The 
third  on  the  place,  as  is  supposed,  having  the  same  title  as 
his  grandfather  and  great-grandfather,  viz. :  Lieut.  Joel  Ly- 
man, was  born  in  1742.  Married  in  1764;  lived  nearly  sixty 
years,  1742-1801.  His  grandson,  Joel  Lyman  Dickinson,  of 
Granby,  entered  the  ministry  and  died  at  Plainville,  Ct., 
1867.  Precisely  how  long  this  ancient  homestead  continued 
in  the  family  line  is  not  known;  it  is  thought  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty-six  years  into  the  fourth  generation. 

Having  alluded  to  the  two  brothers,  Kichard  and  John, 
both  born  in  England  and  settled  near  each  other  in  North- 
ampton, before  passing  to  the  next  particular,  it  may  be 
added  there  was  another,  Kobert,  the  youngest  of  the  three, 
who  settled  in  Northampton,  on  Hawley  street,  reputed  to 
have  been  a  sportsman,  who  devoted  much  time  to  fishing, 
hunting,  trapping,    and   the   like. 

Homestead  number  eleven.  The  second  Dea.  John  Clark, 
ancestor  of  the  David  Clark  race.      He  was   the  oldest  of  six 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON     HOMESTEADS.  Ill 

sons  and  five  daughters.  The  sons  lived  on  their  respective 
homesteads  from  fifty-eight  to  seventy  years.  The  second 
Dea.  John,  (his  father  being  the  first)  was  born  on  Elm 
street  in  1679.  Married  in  1704.  Settled  the  same  year  on 
South  street;  occupied  the  same  house  sixty-four  years,  the 
last  thirty-eight  years  went  by  the  name  of  Dea.  John.  Of 
his  twelve  children,  the  twelfth,  David,  born  in  1729,  lived 
on  the  homestead  and  deceased  in  1810,  aged  eighty-one.  He 
was  the  father  of  nine  children.  David,  the  seventh,  born 
in  1766,  married  in  1791;  of  the  third  generation,  lived  on 
the  place  from  his  birth  to  his  decease  in  1846,  eighty  years. 
Of  his  eight  children,  Dorus,  the  seventh,  succeeded  his 
father,  and  died  in  his  fortieth  year,  in  1846,  three  months 
after  his  father.  The  homestead  of  the  second  Dea.  John, 
continued  in  the  possession  of  that  branch  of  the  Clark  fam- 
ily, one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  1704-1854. 

Homestead  number  twelve.  Nathaniel  Clark,  brother  of 
the  second  Dea.  John,  the  second  in  that  family  of  long 
lived  brothers.  A  young  man  of  twenty-four,  when  married 
to  Hannah,  a  daughter  to  John  Sheldon,  and  settled  on 
South  street,  in  1705,  where  he  lived  sixty-two  years,  1767, 
into  his  eighty-seventh  year,  the  father  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter. 

The  oldest  of  his  children.  Ensign,  afterwards  Lieut. 
Nathaniel,  born  in  1707,  married  in  1728,  Sarah,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Kingsley,  lived  on  the  homestead  from  1706- 
1773.  Chosen  selectman  in  1755,  1761-64.  Had  three  sons 
and  seven  daughters. 

Followed  by  the  third  Nathaniel,  born  in  1749,  who  mar- 
ried in  1774,  Abigail  Warner,  aunt  of  Oliver  Warner,  pro- 
prietor of  the  Warner  House.  He  lived  on  the  place  where 
he  was  born  seventy-four  years,  and  died  there  in  1823.     His 


112  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

son,  of  the  same  name,  the  fourth  on  the  homestead,  born 
in  1775,  lived  there  till  1857,  eighty-two  years  The  fifth 
Nathaniel  is  the  present  occupant.  Born  in  1803,  married 
in  1834,  the  father  of  three  daughters,  and  uncle  of  Charles 
Nathaniel  Clark,  Esq.,  the  lawyer.  This  homestead,  there- 
fore, has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Nathaniel  Clark  line, 
one  hundred  and  seventy-six  years  into  the  sixth  generation. 
Homestead  number  thirteen.  Samuel  Edwards,  Jr.,  cor- 
responding with  number  eighty.  South  street,  has  been  five 
generations  in  the  family.  Samuel,  Jr.,  grandson  of  Alex- 
ander, from  Wales,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  built,  1708,  the 
old  house  which  stood  on  the  same  site  with  the  the  present 
one.  A  part  of  the  house  was  moved  from  Welsh  End,  so 
called  as  persons  of  Welsh  descent,  of  whom  Alexander  was 
one,  lived  there.  That  part  of  the  town  is  now  called  West 
street.  Samuel,  Jr.,  born  1676,  married  1708,  had  nine 
children.  Dea.  Samuel,  the  oldest,  lived  in  Southampton, 
grandfather  of  Prof.  Bela  B.  Edwards;  also  of  Dr.  Justin 
Edwards,  distinguished  as  an  advocate  of  temperance,  and 
for  his  Notes  or  Commentary  on  the  Bible.  The  youngest 
of  the  nine,  Nathaniel,  born  1729,  succeeded  his  father,  who 
deceased  twenty  years  after,  1749,  in  his  seventy-fourth  year. 
Given  to  learning,  as  many  of  his  descendants  have  been, 
Nathaniel  taught  one  of  the  earliest  si-hools  on  South  street. 
For  a  series  of  years,  as  many  as  twenty,  this  constituted, 
for  a  part  of  the  year,  his  principal  employment.  The 
school  house  stood  opposite  his  place  of  residence,  on  the 
spot  where  the  present  school  building  stands.  Another  par- 
ticular shows  his  appreciation  of  learning.  He  sent  one  of  his 
sons,  Nathaniel  Edwards,  Jr.,  to  college,  1782,  who,  however, 
did  not  take  a  full  course.  It  was  said  by  one  of  his  cotempo- 
raries,  and  the  saying  has  come  down  in    the    family  to    the 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  113 

present  time,  that  the  first  Nathaniel,  during  recess,  used  to 
send  the  boys  to  take  some  care  of  his  fat  cattle.  His  wife, 
Margaret  Alvord,  was  daughter  of  Benjamin  A.,  a  weaver, 
also  an  express  rider,  and  somewhat  actively  engaged  in  the 
French  and  Indian  war.  This  worthy  teacher  deceased  1792, 
aged  sixty-three. 

The  second  Nathaniel,  the  college  student,  next  lived  on 
the  homestead.  Followed  the  same  vocation,  in  the  same 
building  opposite  his  residence,  doing  the  work  of  a  teacher 
for  ten  years,  during  which,  and  later  in  life,  he  went  by 
the  name  of  Master  Edwards.  The  next  item  will  interest 
people  generally  in  this  man.  Troubled  exceedingly  because 
the  girls  in  his  neighborhood  had  not  the  same  school  privi- 
leges as  the  boys,  anxious  and  determined  to  do  his  best  in 
their  behalf,  he  devoted  his  leisure  during  vacation  in  giving 
them  instruction.  Thanks  to  Master  Edwards  for  his  en- 
lightened views,  his  public  spirit.  Not  long  after  this,  in 
the  year  1802,  sixteen  years  before  his  decease,  the  town 
turned  over  a  new  leaf.  All  over  the  Commonwealth  better 
views  and  a  wiser  course  prevailed.  The  wife  of  this  excellent 
man,  Eachel  Clapp,  survived  him  nearly  fifty  years  and  lived 
till  1868,  aged  one  hundred  years,  four  months,  six  days. 
It  may  be  proper  to  say,  and  it  will  be  new  to  many,  that  this 
venerable  woman,  in  explaining  why  South  street  formerly  went 
by  the  name  of  Licking  Water,  used  to  relate  the  following: 
A  man  once  crossed  Mill  river  on  a  board,  shouting  at  the 
top  of  his  voice,  '^  Licking  water,  here  I  go;  Licking  water, 
here  I  go."  Singularly  enough,  from  this  circumstance  the 
street  went  by  that  name  for  many  years. 

The  fourth  at  this  homestead,  Charles  Edwards,  son  of 
the  foregoing,  deceased  Jan.  1st,  1880,  long  a  prominent 
member   of   the   choir   of   the    First   Church.    In   the   same 


114  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

school  building  where  his  father  and  grandfather  figured  as 
teachers,  he  taught  an  old-fashioned  writing  school.  Of  his 
nine  children,  but  one  survives,  Miss  Anna  Cheney  Edwards, 
who  also  taught  nearly  three  years  in  the  same  school  house; 
now  assistant  principal  of  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary,  South  Had- 
ley.  Counting  from  Samuel,  Jr.,  this  homestead  has  con- 
tinued in  the  same  family,  1708-1881,  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-three years. 

Homestead  number  fourteen.  Increase  Clark,  the  fourth 
of  those  long-lived  brothers,  born  on  Elm  street,  son  of  the 
first  Dea.  John.  This  homestead  still  continues  in  the  family, 
occupied  by  those  of  the  fourth  generation.  The  initials,  I. 
C,  in  a  prominent  place  in  one  of  the  rooms,  before  the 
house  underwent  extensive  improvements,  point,  so  far  as 
now  positively  known,  to  the  first  ancestor  who  there  lived. 
Born  1684,  he  married  at  the  age  of  twenty-six,  1710,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Isaac  Sheldon,  whose  home-lot  was  the  sixth 
proceeding  north  on  King  street.  They  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children.  The  sixth,  Dea.  Simeon  Clark,  moved  from 
Northampton  to  Amherst  in  1750,  on  a  farm  at  the  center, 
the  father  of  twelve  children,  the  homestead  still  being  held 
by  the  descendants.  Twice  at  least,  1735  and  1739,  Increase 
Clark  served  on  the  board  of  selectmen.  On  his  homestead 
he  lived  sixty-five  years,  being  at  the  time  of  his  decease, 
1775,  in  his  ninety-second  year.  His  youngest  son,  Dea. 
Elijah,  the  father  of  eight  children,  succeeded  and  lived  upon 
the  place,  1730-1791,  in  several  ways  honored  by  the  town. 
Eli,  his  second  son,  moved  to  Marcellus,  now  Skaneateles, 
N.  Y.,  in  1801,  then  almost  a  wilderness;  his  family,  wife 
and  several  small  children,  were  conveyed  there  in  an  ox 
team.  One  of  those  children,  Foster  Clark,  still  lives  there 
on  the  homestead.      The  orchard  produces  some  of  the  same 


ANCIEKT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  115 

kind  of  fruit  which  grew  in  Dea.  Elijah's  orchard  in  North- 
ampton, the  grafts  being  carried  there  eighty  years  ago. 

Experience,  the  only  daughter  of  Dea.  Elijah,  who  mar- 
ried, about  1798,  Justin  Smith,  next,  with  her  husband,  be- 
came connected  with  the  place  where  their  eleven  children 
were  born.  The  three  who  survive,  Alvah  and  wife,  Justin, 
who  has  always  lived  there,  Mrs.  Mary  Tenney,  still  occupy 
the  ancient  homestead,  where  so  many  have  been  born,  and 
from  which  have  gone  forth  such  numbers  to  different  and 
distant  localities,  having  been  in  the  family  one  hundred  and 
seventy-one  years. 

Homestead  number  fifteen.  Capt.  John  Baker,  the  same 
as  the  John  Whittelsey  place  on  Elm  street.  The  Bakers, 
one  or  more,  came  with  the  early  settlers.  Lieut.  Timothy, 
father  of  Capt.  John,  took  a  prominent  part  in  military 
affairs  when  the  county  embraced  the  whole  of  Western  Mass- 
achusetts. Born  1680,  in  1710,  at  the  age  of  thirty,  Capt. 
John  married  Rebekah,  one  of  the  long-lived  daughters  of 
the  first  Dea.  John  Clark,  sister  of  the  foregoing  Increase 
Clark;  the  brother  and  sister  were  both  married  within  a 
few  months  of  each  other.  There  is  a  similarity  in  the 
structure  and  size  of  the  two  dwellings,  the  Justin  Smith 
and  the  John  Whittelsey,  indicating  they  might  have  been 
built  near  the  same  time.  The  Baker  place  continued  in 
that  line  through  three  generations  into  the  fourth,  a  little 
beyond  one  hundred  years.  Hollister  Baker,  of  the  third  gen- 
eration, deceased  there  in  1811,  in  his  sixty-second  year.  It  is 
a  complimentary  record  given  of  these  Bakers,  a  credit  to 
the  name,  the  street  on  which  some  of  them  lived,  and  to 
the  town,  and  deserves  to  be  inserted:  *^0f  the  children  of 
Capt.  John  Baker,  they  all  stood  forth  through  life  as 
marked  christian  men  and  women,  and  filled  full  their  meas- 


116  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORIC ALS. 

ure'^of  usefulness.  The  sons  were  large  and  tall,  from  six 
feet  and  upward  in  height,  large-framed  and  powerful.  The 
six  brothers,  whose  ages  are  known,  averaged  upwards  of 
eighty-two  years  each.  They  all  wore  big,  curly  wigs,  and 
were  a  jolly  set  of  men,  affectionate  toward  each  other,  and 
very  devoted  to  religion.  They  kept  up  the  habit  of  fre- 
quent mutual  visits  until  death  bore  them  all  to  the  better 
society  above."  It  may  be  added,  the  Bakers  and  the  Clarks 
maintained  a  regular  family  prayer  meeting,  on  Elm  street, 
for  a  great  number  of  years.  The  Hon.  Osmyn  Baker  was  a 
descendant  of  one  of  the  early  Northampton  Bakers. 

Homestead  number  sixteen.  Noah  Parsons,  Sr.  The 
youngest  of  Esquire  Joseph's  large  family  of  twelve,  he  was 
born  1692;  married  earlier  in  life  than  either  of  his  brothers 
or  sisters,  viz.:  at  twenty,  in  1712.  His  wife,  Mindwell, 
was  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  Edwards.  The  homestead, 
just  beyond  the  bridge  on  the  left,  fronted  on  South  street, 
as  far  at  least  as  the  road  or  entrance  to  Mr.  L.  B.  Williams' 
house.  At  this  entrance  stood  the  original  dwelling  of  Noah, 
Sr.,  where  his  twelve  children  were  born.  His  third  child, 
Elizabeth,  who  married  Joseph  Allen,  on  King  street,  was 
mother  of  Eev.  Solomon  Allen,  and  Rev.  Thomas,  first  min- 
ister of  Pittsfield,  father  of  the  late  President  Allen.  Her 
father,  Noah,  Sr.,  and  her  husband,  deceased  the  same  year, 
1779,  the  former  in.  his  eighty-eighth  year.  Noah,  Jr.,  born 
1730,  married,  1755,  Phebe  Bartlett,  converted,  according  to 
President  Edwards,  at  the  age  of  four.  In  his  Narrative  of 
Remarkable  Conversions  in  Northampton,  read  extensively 
one  hundred  and  forty  years  ago,  and  often  referred  to  at  the 
present  time,  he  devotes  several  pages  in  giving  a  description 
of  her  case.  Her  subsequent  career  of  seventy  years  showed 
the  reality  of  her  conversion.     At  the  close  of  it,  witnessing 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  117 

her  calm,  peaceful,  trusting  frame,  as  the  end  approached, 
Dr.  Justin  Edwards,  then  a  youth  and  much  impressed,  ex- 
claimed, "Here  is  a  religion  that  I  have  not,  and  that  I 
must  have!"  Noah,  Jr.,  himself  the  father  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, lived  on  a  part  of  the  original  homestead,  near  the 
bridge.  The  house  he  erected  still  stands,  viz. :  the  Justus 
Parsons  house,  the  youngest  child  of  Noah,  Jr.,  married 
1800,  deceased  1834,  and  now  occupied  by  the  widow  of  the 
late  Lewis  Parsons,  son  of  Justus,  and  her  children. 

An  item  respecting  the  venerable  elm  in  front  of  the  Par- 
sons' house  should  not  be  omitted.  In  the  month  of  August, 
1755,  the  year  of  Noah,  Jr.'s  marriage,  he  and  his  brother 
Timothy,  who  lived  with  his  father,  brought  from  the  meadow, 
each  on  his  shoulder,  an  elm  tree.  The  one  brought  and 
set  out  by  Noah  is  the  one  now  standing,  stately,  wide-spread- 
ing, creditable  to  the  ancestor  who  planted  and  watched  its 
growth  for  half  a  century.  In  his  declining  years,  down  to 
the  last,  1814,  he  was  cheered  and  refreshed  by  its  shade. 
A  word  respecting  Timothy's  tree.  Different  the  story  asso- 
ciated with  it.  Before  his  decease,  1822,  it  began  to  show 
signs  of  decay.  Says  the  writer,  from  whom  the  account 
came,   **It  died  many  years  ago." 

Counting  from  Noah  Parsons,  Sr.,  1712,  through  the  inter- 
vening generations  to  the  present  time,  the  homestead  has 
been  in  possession  of  that  branch  of  Esquire  Joseph's  line, 
one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  years. 

Homestead  number  seventeen.  Dea.  Nathaniel  Phelps, 
born  in  England  in  1627.  Three,  when  his  father,  William, 
with  four  sons,  and  one  hundred  and  forty  choice  characters, 
embarked  at  Plymouth  in  the  great  ship  Mary  and  John, 
and  landed  on  an  island  in  Boston  harbor,  May  30th,  1630. 
Married  in  1650,  at  Windsor,  Ct.,  where  three  of  his  chil- 
14 


118  ANTIQUITIES    AN'D    HISTORICALS. 

dren  were  born.  William,  the  fourth,  was  born  at  North- 
ampton, June  22d,  1657.  His  homestead,  on  which  he  set- 
tled in  1659,  comprised  what,  forty  years  ago,  was  Miss  Mar- 
garet D wight's  school  building  for  young  ladies;  at  a  later 
date  the  Collegiate  Institute  of  L.  J.  Dudley,  Esq.,  what  is 
now  Shady  Lawn.  The  old  house  stood  a  few  rods  north- 
easterly from  that  edifice.  Dea.  Nathaniel  occupied  this  home- 
stead forty-three  years,  until  after  the  commencement  of  the 
ensuing  century,  in  1702,  being  the  first  of  some  six  or  more  of 
the  same  name  who  have  lived  in  Northampton.  William, 
already  mentioned,  next  controlled  the  homestead,  and  lived 
on  the  place  until  his  eighty-ninth  year,  June  1st,  1745. 
Little  can  be  said  of  his  son,  the  third  owner,  the  first  of  a 
series  of  Ebenezers,  three  in  all,  who  followed  each  other, 
representing  so  many  successive  generations.  Ebenezer,  the 
first,  son  of  William,  lived  on  the  premises  seventy-two  years, 
1697-1769.  Ebenezer,  the  second,  continued  longer  than  his 
father,  viz.:  four-score  years,  1741-1821,  remembered  by 
some  now  living.  The  third  Ebenezer  died  younger  than 
any  of  the  preceding,  viz. :  at  sixty-one,  in  1826.  Dea. 
Nathaniel's  descendants  of  the  sixth  generation  lived  on  the 
place  until  about  1835,  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  years. 

Homestead  number  eighteen.  Nathaniel  Phelps  of  South 
street.  Whether  established  by  the  son  of  Dea.  Nathaniel 
or  his  grandson,  has  been  a  question.  The  evidence,  how- 
ever, is  strong  in  favor  of  the  second  Nathaniel.  In  his  will 
he  gives  his  homestead  to  his  son  Nathaniel.  To  Timothy 
he  gives  five  acres  inside  the  meadow  fence  toward  the  brick- 
kiln. This  second  Nathaniel,  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  town, 
in  1707,  doubtless  lived  at  the  time,  on  South  street,  on  the 
corner  of  Fort  street.  He  died  in  1719,  in  his  sixty-seventh 
year.      The    third    Nathaniel,    born   in    1692,    married   about 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  119 

1716,  was  chosen  lieutenant  of  a  military  company,  and  went 
by  the  name  of  Lieut.  Nathaniel.      Charles,  his  son,  born  in 

1717,  when  twenty-six,  established  himself  across  the  river, 
on  a  farm  two  miles  north  of  Hadley  center,  containing, 
subsequently,  some  six  hundred  acres,  beautifully  described 
by  President  Dwight,  who  pronounced  it  one  of  the  most 
desirable  within  his  knowledge.  Lieut.  Nathaniel,  twice  mar- 
ried, the  father  of  eight  children,  four  by  the  first  marriage, 
the  same  number  by  the  second,  deceased  in  1747,  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  fourth  of  that  name,  being  at  the  time  twenty- 
six.  As  has  just  been  said  of  the  father,  so  respecting  the 
son,  he  married  twice,  having  four  children  by  each  of  his 
wives.  The  sixty-eight  years  of  his  life,  1721-1789,  covered 
an  eventful  period  of  Northampton  church  history,  viz. :  the 
latter  part  of  Mr.  Stoddard's  ministry,  the  whole  of  Mr. 
Edwards'  and  Mr.  Hooker's,  and  the  first  ten  years  of  Rev. 
Solomon  Williams,  a  period  of  great  religious  growth,  of 
many  changes  in  the  community.  The  fifth  Nathaniel,  bap- 
tized in  1757  by  Mr.  Hooker,  married,  in  1781,  Lucy  Strong, 
a  descendant  of  Elder  Ebenezer.  Whole  number  of  his  chil- 
dren eleven.  The  late  Dea.  Ebenezer  S.  Phelps,  who  moved 
to  Princeton,  111.,  in  1831,  was  the  fourth.  He  lived  into 
his  seventy-seventh  year,  longer  than  either  of  his  ancestors 
of  the  same  name.  Remembered  as  an  innkeeper,  a  black- 
smith, and  a  farmer,  and  also  for  the  trumpet  which  he  used 
to  assist  his  hearing  in  his  later  years.  The  youngest  of  his 
eleven  children,  Charles,  born  in  1802,  married  in  1824,  was 
the  fifth  on  this  homestead,  where  three  of  his  oldest  chil- 
dren were  born,  and  where  he  lived  until  1831.  That  year, 
having  sold  to  the  present  occupant,  Mr.  Calvin  Strong,  he 
with  others,  went  west  and  settled  in  Princeton,  111.,  where 
his  remaining  five  children  were  born.      Counting,  therefore. 


120  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

from  the  second  Nathaniel,  five  generations,  into  the  sixth, 
have  occupied  this  homestead,  during  a  period,  probably,  of 
over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years. 

Homestead  number  nineteen.  Capt.  John  King,  born  in 
England,  in  1629,  crossed  the  ocean  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 
viz. :  in  1645.  Married,  Nov.  18th,  1656,  Sarah,  daughter 
of  Dea.  William  Holton,  the  first  deacon  at  the  organization 
of  the  church  in  Northampton.  This  was  the  second  mar- 
riage in  the  settlement.  Their  children  numbered  twelve. 
Capt.  John's  homestead,  granted  him  by  the  town  in  1660, 
stood  on  King  street,  and  continued  in  that  family,  then  of 
the  Dwights,  (Mrs.  Col.  Timothy  Dwight  was  Experience 
King,  who,  on  the  division  of  the  estate,  received  that  home- 
stead of  her  ancestors  as  her  portion)  in  all  some  five  gener- 
ations, covering  a  period  little  short  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years,  1660-1807.  Capt.  John  originated  in  Northampton, 
England.  At  his  suggestion,  or  in  honor  of  him,  it  is 
thought  the  town  took  its  name,  Northampton,  being  the 
first  so  called  this  side  of  the  water.  By  occupation  a  tan- 
ner, an  estimable  member  of  the  community  and  of  the 
church,  often  serving  as  selectman,  he  lived  forty-three  years 
on  the  homestead,  1660-1703,  into  his  seventy-fifth  year, 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  child,  born  in  1657,  Lieut.  John, 
whose  wife,  Mehitable,  was  a  daughter  of  Dea.  Medad 
Pomeroy.  He  deceased  in  1720.  She  survived  him  and 
lived  until  her  ninetieth  year,  in  1755.  The  third  in 
the  line  of  descent,  and  the  third  John,  youngest  of 
the  foregoing,  survived  his  father  twenty-five  years  in  1745, 
when  he  deceased,  without  children,  and  without  a  will. 
A  division  of  the  estate  ensued,  and,  as  already  stated, 
the  homestead  passed  into  the  possession  of  Col.  Timothy 
Dwight's  family.      Their   son.    Major  Timothy,    who  married 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  121 

Mary,  daiigliter  of  the  distinguished  Kev.  Jonathan  Ed- 
wards, next  occupied  the  homestead,  built  the  present  res- 
idence, where  his  thirteen  children  were  born,  and  where 
his  widow  lived  after  his  decease,  in  1777,  thirty  years, 
until  1807.  This  ancient  homestead  of  the  Kings  and  the 
Dwights  possesses   more   than   usual   historic  interest. 

Homestead  number  twenty.  Nathaniel  Dwight,  ancestor 
of  many  of  the  Dwights,  lived  on  Market  street.  Born  in 
1666,  in  Dedham;  married  in  1693,  in  Hatfield,  a  daughter 
of  Col.  Partridge;  settled  about  1695,  in  Northampton,  where 
he  lived  for  the  last  sixteen  years  of  his  life,  a  trader, 
farmer,  justice  of  the  peace,  a  land  surveyor  on  a  large  scale, 
a  decidedly  religious  man.  His  eleven  children,  of  which 
Col.  Timothy  was  the  oldest,  were  born  on  Market  street. 
He  died  suddenly  in  1711,  when  at  West  Springfield  on  busi- 
ness; his  grave  was  the  oldest  in  the  ancient  burying 
ground  of  that  town.  His  wife  survived  him  forty-five 
years,  from  her  thirty-seventh  to  her  eighty-second  year> 
1756,  sixty-one  years  from  the  time  the  family  settled 
in  Northampton.  As  their  son.  Col.  Timothy's  homestead, 
corner  of  Market  and  Walnut  streets,  was  separate  from 
his  father  Nathaniel's,  having  come  to  him  through  his 
mother  and  grandfather.  Col.  Partridge  of  Hatfield,  where 
he  lived  many  years,  and  died  in  1771,  the  writer  will 
omit  the  subsequent  history,  of  some  twenty  years,  and 
devote  the  space  to  the  last  occupant  of  the  old  place,  viz. : 
Erastus  Dwight,  of  the  fourth  generation,  third  son  of  Ma- 
jor Timothy,  born  in  1756.  There  is  a  melancholy  story 
associated  with  this  name,  dating  in  its  origin  back  to  the 
commencement  of  the  revolution,  when  he  had  attained  the 
age  of  manhood.  He  was  strongly  in  sympathy  with  the 
mother  country,  "got  mad/'  it  is  said,    and   never  got   over 


122  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

it.  Being  in  the  liayfield  at  work,  when  the  news  of  his 
father's  death  reached  Northampton,  in  the  summer  of  1777, 
on  hearing  it,  he  threw  up  his  pitchfork  into  the  air  and 
exclaimed,  "  Then  are  we  all  dead,"  referring  to  his  father's 
numerous  family.  By  a  series  of  untoward  events,  the 
strong  impulses  of  his  nature  having  been  unfavorably  wrought 
upon,  this  young  man,  a  member  of  Yale  college,  in  the 
second  year,  lost  his  mental  balance,  and  never  recovered  it 
afterward.  For  forty-four  years,  1777-1821,  he  lived  entirely 
by  himself  in  the  house  of  his  great-grandfather  Nathaniel. 
He  came  regularly  each  night  to  his  mother's,  on  King  street, 
for  his  food  after  the  family  had  retired  to  rest — an  outer 
door  being  left  purposely  unlocked,  and  a  careful  provision 
for  his  wants  being  always  in  readiness  for  him  on  the  table. 
After  his  mother's  decease,  says  the  account,  he  resorted  with 
like  regularity  to  his  brother  Cecil's,  and  found  there,  1807- 
1821,  a  similar  remembrance  always  of  his  necessities.  He 
died  Feb.  14th,  1821,  unexpectedly  to  his  friends,  and  alone 
by  himself  as  he  had  lived,  found  dead  in  his  bed.  Such  is 
the  sad  story.  The  homestead  of  Nathaniel  Dwight  contin- 
ued in  the  family  at  least  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  years, 
1695-1821.  It  may  be  added  that  the  first  one  in  Northamp- 
ton to  have  a  sleigh,  not  a  pleasure  sleigh,  none  such  existed, 
was  Nathaniel  Dwight,  the  trader  and  surveyor,  having,  it 
is  said,  plank  runners. 

Homestead  number  twenty-one.  Lt.  Ebenezer  Clark,  the 
third  son  of  the  first  Dea.  John,  the  home-lot  being  part  of 
the  twelve  acres  the  town  gave  Lt.  William  on  his  joining 
the  settlement  in  1659.  Ebenezer's  house  was  the  second  one 
built  by  Lt.  William,  the  first,  a  log  structure,  set  on  fire 
by  his  negro  servant  Jack,  in  1681.  He  married,  in  1712, 
Abigail,   the   daughter  of   Esq.  Joseph  Parsons.      Lived,  after 


ANCIENT    KORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  123 

his  marriage,  on  the  homestead,  where  his  eight  children 
were  born,  a  few  months  short  of  seventy  years.  In  respect 
to  longevity,  but  few  men  born  in  Northampton  surpassed 
him.  He  lacked  a  year  or  so  of  attaining  the  full  number 
of  one  hundred.  At  the  age  of  fifty,  in  1731,  served  the 
town  as  selectman.  Of  his  six  sons,  Elihu,  the  youngest, 
succeeded  to  the  homestead.  Married,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
four,  in  1765,  Martha,  daughter  of  Samuel  Mather,  probably 
the  same  as  the  physician.  Lived  but  twelve  years  after  his 
marriage,  and  deceased  in  1777,  four  years  previous  to  his 
venerable  father.  Elihu,  his  son,  next  lived  on  the  place, 
until  1815,  leaving  several  children,  having  reached  about  the 
same  age  as  his  father.  His  widow  occupied  the  homestead 
until  her  son  Elihu  became  twenty-one,  when  he  purchased 
the  property.  In  1826,  Judge  Dewey  moved  to  Northamp- 
ton, bought  this  place,  erected  his  own  house  on  or  near  the 
site  where  the  old  one  stood.  From  Lt.  Ebenezer  it  had 
descended  to  the  fourth  generation,  and  continued  in  that 
line,  1712-1826,  one  hundred  and  fourteen  years. 

Homestead  number  twenty-two.  Noah  Clark,  the  ninth 
child  and  fifth  son  of  the  first  Dea.  John.  Born  in  1694, 
married  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  in  1718,  Eunice  Dick- 
inson of  Hatfield.  Lived  a  near  neighbor  of  his  brother, 
the  preceding  Ebenezer,  fifty-eight  years.  His  homestead 
was  at  the  top  of  the  hill  above  the  Baptist  meeting  house. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  younger  than  either  of  the 
six  brothers.  Silas,  his  fourth  son,  born  in  1729,  next  took 
the  place,  in  1756,  being  the  year  of  his  marriage.  Whole 
number  of  his  children,  twelve.  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  daugh- 
ter of  Jonathan  Strong,  descended  from  Elder  John.  The 
foregoing  Jonathan  Strong  was  the  first  tythingman  chosen 
in  Northampton,  viz.:    in  1761.      He  occupied  a  conspicuous 


124  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

place  in  the  gallery  of  the  meeting-hoiise,  in  order  to  dis- 
cover and  prevent  disorder,  playing,  whispering,  and  the  like. 
Silas,  his  son-in-law,  lived  on  the  homestead  all  his  life-time, 
eighty-four  years.  His  seventh  child,  Levi,  succeeded  him, 
born  in  1770.  Within  a  few  months  of  Levi's  decease,  in 
1827,  the  place  was  sold,  having  been  in  the  family  one  hun- 
dred and  nine  years.  Silas,  of  the  fourth  generation  from 
Noah,  living  on  Clark  avenue,  born  on  the  homestead,  was 
son  of  Levi.  Thus  within  about  twelve  months,  1826-27, 
the  two  ancient  homesteads  of  Ebenezer  and  Noah  Clark, 
passed  out  of  the  hands  of  these  respective  families. 

Homestead  number  twenty-three.  Dea.  Noah  Cook,  corres- 
ponding substantially  with  that  of  the  late  Horace  Cook. 
Dea.  Noah  was  of  the  third  generation  from  the  celebrated 
Major  Aaron,  the  settler,  who,  with  Elder  John  Strong, 
Richard  Lyman,  Capt.  Roger  Clapp  of  Dorchester,  all  mar- 
ried sisters,  daughters  of  Thomas  Ford,  a  man  of  good  estate, 
whose  last  years  were  spent  in  Northampton.  The  Cooks, 
Strongs,  Lymans,  Clapps,  half  brothers  by  marriage,  all  set- 
tled in  Northampton,  and  quite  numerous.  Dea.  Noah  lost 
his  father  when  only  eleven,  in  1699.  The  will  of  Noah, 
Sr.,  dated  the  same  year,  gives  to  his  son  Noah  his  home- 
stead, bought  of  John  Woodward.  Some  conditions  and 
exceptions  follow.  One  respects  the  payment  of  thirty  pounds 
towards  his  brother  Eliakim's  education,  and  ten  pounds  addi- 
tional when  he,  probably  Noah,  becomes  of  age.  Eliakim's 
education  here  provided  for,  at  least  in  part,  seems  to  refer 
to  a  collegiate  course.  Thus  early  provided  with  a  home- 
stead, ten  years  before  he  becomes  of  age,  when  twenty- 
four,  1712,  he  married  Abigail  Clark,  daughter  of  Dea. 
John,  with  whom  he  lived  fifty-four  years.  Whole  num- 
ber of  their  children,   nine.      In   1773    he   was  succeeded  by 


AKCIENT    NORTHAMPTON-    HOMESTEADS.  125 

his  eighth  child,  Aaron,  to  whom  and  to  Elisha,  perhaps 
also  to  Joseph,  are  given  the  grist  and  the  saw-mill. 
Aaron,  afterwards  Dea.  Aaron,  married,  in  1754,  Penelope 
Strong,  daughter  of  Nathaniel,  recorded  among  half  a  dozen 
others,  as  *'one  of  the  friends  of  Edwards,"  highly  es- 
teemed, for  a  meek,  gentle,  inoffensiye,  benevolent  deport- 
ment. Appointed  deacon  in  1774.  Aaron  Cook  also  acted 
as  a  tythingman  in  the  latter  part  of  the  century.  One, 
still  alive,  in  Northampton,  remembers  receiving  (by  mis- 
take, however),  more  than  a  gentle  reminder  from  Dea. 
Cook's  tything-rod,  who  kept  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  boys 
who  sat  on  the  pulpit  stairs,  while  sitting  himself  in  the 
deacon's   seat  underneath  or  near  the  pulpit. 

The  third  on  the  homestead,  Enos  Cook,  born  in  1774, 
a  farmer  and  miller,  one  of  the  salt  of  the  earth,  lived 
on  the  old  place  eighty-two  years,  until  1856.  His  oldest 
son,  Horace,  born  in  1806,  was  the  last  occupant  of  this 
ancient  landmark  in  that  neighborhood,  by  whom  it  was 
sold,  having  been  in  the  family,  dating  from  Noah,  Sr., 
over  one   hundred   and  eighty  years. 

Homestead  number  twenty-four.  Capt.  Eoger  Clapp,  on 
South  street.  Has  continued  in  the  family  (at  least  a  part 
of  it),  ever  since  1713.  That  year  Capt.  Roger  built  the 
house,  lived  in  it  nearly  fifty  years.  There  he  died  in 
1762,  in  his  seventy-ninth  year.  His  father,  Elder  Pre- 
served, united  with  the  settlement  a  little  previous  to  the 
organization  of  the  church,  in  1661.  When  he  removed 
from  Dorchester,  says  the  historian  of  the  Clapp  race, 
Springfield  and  Northampton,  far  off  settlements,  comprised 
the  whole  inhabited  portion  of  Western  Massachusetts. 
Here,  considered  a  leading  man  in  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
affairs.  Elder  Preserved  lived  over  sixty  years,  until  1720. 
15 


126  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

An  old  writer  calls  him  a  good  instrument  and  a  great 
blessing  to  the  town  of  Northampton.  Fourteen  years  after 
the  settlement  commenced,  in  1668,  he  married  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  Newbury,  of  Windsor,  Conn.  He 
was  captain  of  a  military  company,  re2)resentative  to  the 
General  Court,  ruling  elder  in  the  church,  and  several 
times  a  selectman.  Koger,  his  son,  born  in  1684,  married 
in  1707,  had  eight  sons  and  one  daughter.  All  attained 
maturity,  all  married  and  reared  families.  Following  in 
the  steps  of  his  father  and  grandfather,  the  renowned 
Koger,  commander  of  Castle  William,  in  Boston  harbor,  he 
attained  the  rank  of  captain,  and  went  as  representative  to 
the  General  Court.  Next  in  order  comes  his  eighth  and 
and  youngest  son,  Simeon,  born  on  the  homestead,  in  South 
street,  in  1728,  where  he  lived  eighty-four  years.  At 
twenty  went  into  the  service,  in  1748,  as  a  soldier,  after- 
ward became  captain,  being  the  fourth  in  direct  descent, 
honored  with  the  same  title.  He  practiced  as  a  physician, 
married  Sarah  Clark,  both  deceased  in  their  eighty-fifth 
year.  His  two  sons,  Simeon  and  Warham,  shared  the  home- 
stead. That  part  bequeathed  to  Warham,  passed  out  of 
the  family  in  1858,  the  old  house  being  now  owned  by 
James  Ellsworth.  In  this  house  lived  so  long  the  memor- 
able Sally  Maminash,  the  last  of  the  Indian  race  in  North- 
ampton, long  and  tenderly  cared  for,  under  the  infirmities 
of  age  by  that  excellent  woman,  Mrs.  Sophia,  wife  of  War- 
ham Clapp,  and  after  her  death,  by  her  son,  Edward  Clapp 
and  his  wife.  Sally,  the  last  Indian  in  Northampton,  a 
woman  of  piety  and  excellence,  died  in  1853,  aged  eighty- 
eight.  Her  father's  gravestone  stands  alone  (so  it  did 
some  years  ago),  in  a  field  near  the  pine  grove,  a  little 
south   of  the   hospital. 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  127 

The  part  of  the  homestead  bequeathed  to  Simeon  con- 
tinues in  the  family  line.  Born  in  1759,  married  in  1783, 
the  second  Simeon  deceased  in  1851,  in  his  ninety-third 
year.  Five  years  before  his  decease,  in  1846,  he  gave  a 
part  of  the  homestead  to  his  grandson  Merrick,  the  pres- 
ent  owner  and   occupant. 

Zenas,  the  oldest  and  only  married  child  of  Simeon,  suc- 
ceeded on  the  place,  whose  wife,  Belinda  Dickinson,  origi- 
nated in  Hadley.  Their  son  William  D.,  born  in  1820, 
in  business  in  Northampton,  also  for  many  years  a  stated 
supply  of  several  pulpits  in  the  vicinity,  still  owns  the 
place.  Capt.  Roger  Clapp's  homestead,  therefore,  now  held 
by  children  of  the  fifth  generation,  has  descended  in  the 
family  line   one   hundred    and   sixty-eight  years. 

Homestead  number  twenty-five.  Lieut.  Jonathan  Hunt, 
ancestor  of  the  late  Madam  Henshaw.  Born  in  1666,  fol- 
lowed his  father,  the  first  Dea.  Jonathan,  on  the  homestead 
(now  Miss  Burnham's),  living  there  in  all,  fifty-eight  years, 
until  the  marriage,  in  1724,  of  his  son,  Capt.  Jonathan. 
Leaving  him  on  the  old  place,  he  established  himself 
farther  up  the  street  on  what,  towards  the  end  of  the  cen- 
tury, became  the  Judge  Henshaw  homestead.  He  was  a 
man  much  engaged  in  business,  and  consequently  of  some 
means  and  considerable  public  spirit.  Lived  on  the  new 
place  fourteen  years,  until  1738.  That  year  he  gave  by 
will,  as  follows:  "To  son  Jonathan  the  house  and  lot 
where  he  lives,  viz. :  the  old  place.  To  Joseph,  the  lot 
called  the  Taylor  lot,  with  the  house,  etc.,"  viz.:  the 
George  Bridgman  place,  where  afterward  Hon.  C.  P.  Hunt- 
ington built.  *^  To  John,  the  house  where  I  now  live, 
etc."  Also  "  To  the  town,  twenty  pounds  for  the  support 
of  schools."     His  son,    John    Hunt,    therefore    became    the 


128  ANTIQUITIES    AN-D    HISTORICALS. 

next  proprietor  of  the  homestead,  then  a  young  man  of 
twenty-six,  like  his  father  and  the  others  of  that  name, 
of  active  business  habits.  Between  that  date,  1738,  and 
the  commencement  of  the  next  century,  there  lived  at  in- 
tervals, within  one-third  of  a  mile  of  each  other,  the  fol- 
lowing Hunt  families,  viz. :  Two  Jonathans,  Joseph,  John, 
Elijah,  Joel,  Abner.  Having  become  established  on  the 
place  when  about  forty,  John  built  the  new  house,  that 
of  S.  E.  Bridgman's,  made  improvements,  set  out  the 
elms,  now  so  stately,  on  account  of  which  the  street  has 
taken  its  name.  Here  his  children  were  born  and  reared. 
Two  of  them  went  to  college;  another,  Martha,  married 
Judge  Henshaw.  He  deceased  1788.  During  a  part  of 
his  days  he  kept  a  public  house.  From  1788,  onward, 
for  the  next  sixty  years,  it  was  associated  with  the  Hen- 
shaw family.  Here,  as  intimated.  Madam  Henshaw  was 
born  and  married.  Here  the  Judge  deceased  in  1809. 
Here,  rearing  a  numerous  family,  she  passed  the  greater 
part  of  her  life,  and,  almost  eighty-seven,  here  she  died 
in  1842.  This  homestead,  conveyed  to  Lewis  Hopkins,  M. 
D.,  Sept.  1st,  1848,  by  Samuel  Henshaw  of  Boston,  son 
of  Judge  Samuel,  continued  in  the  family  from  the  second 
Jonathan  Hunt,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  years,  through 
four  generations  into   the   fifth. 

Homestead  number  twenty-six.  Dea.  Ebenezer  Hunt. 
Originally  a  part  of  the  highway  or  common,  until  1676, 
when  the  town  gave  it  to  William  Smead,  who  not  long 
after  joined  the  Deerfield  settlement,  where  his  descendants 
became  numerous.  It  was  next  owned  by  Thomas  Alvord, 
and  others,  until  1730,  when,  with  a  house,  barn  and  hat- 
ter's shop,  it  came  into  the  possession  of  Dea.  Ebenezer 
Hunt.      The  price   paid,    one    hundred    and    thirty   pounds. 


ANCIENT    NOKTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  129 

in  the  depreciated  currency  of  that  day,  amounted  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  or  sixty  dollars.  Dea.  Hunt,  who  was 
a  hatter,  and  to  some  extent  a  trader,  continued  in  pos- 
session fifty-eight  years,  until  his  decease,  in  1788.  The 
late  mansion,  gambrel  roof,  was  built  by  his  son,  Eben- 
ezer,  the  physician,  in  1770.  It  stood  one  hundred  years, 
and  in  1870,  was  burnt,  at  the  time  the  Edwards  church 
lost  their  house  of  worship.  Dr.  Ebenezer,  known  in  the 
Commonwealth  and  beyond  its  limits,  a  large  importer  of 
drugs  and  medicines,  having  an  extensive  practice,  next 
owned  the  homestead  until  his  death,  in  1820,  when  it  was 
willed  to  his  son,  the  late  Dr.  David,  who  held  the  same 
until  1837.  It  then  passed  into  the  hands  of  his  widow 
and  an  unmarried  daughter,  until  September,  1838.  Dr. 
Daniel  Thompson,  whose  first  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
David  Hunt,  then  came  into  posseesion.  Her  decease, 
Jan.  18th,  1875,  terminated  the  occupation  of  the  place 
by  any  of  the  Hunt  line.  Four  generations  lived  on  the 
premises  during  a  period,  1730-1875,  of  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  years. 

Homestead  number  twenty-seven.  Lieut.  John  Parsons, 
ancestor  of  the  late  Major  William  Parsons,  farmer  and 
hatter,  on  South  street.  One  of  the  few  places,  occupied 
previous  to  the  year  1700,  which  have  continued  in  un- 
broken succession  to  the  present  day.  Lieut.  John  was  the 
second  of  Esq.  Joseph's  twelve  children.  Joseph,  the  first 
child,  one  of  the  three  earliest  graduates  of  the  town,  be- 
came the  first  minister  at  Lebanon,  Ct.,  and  the  ancestor 
of  several  ministers  of  the  same  name  m  successive  genera- 
tions. Lieut.  John,  the  next  child,  born  1673,  married, 
1696,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Kev.  Hoj^e  Atherton,  of  Hatfield. 
For  his  second  wife  he  married,  1720,   Mrs.  Abraham  Mil- 


130  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

ler,  daughter  of  the  distinguished  elder,  Preserved  Clapp. 
In  his  will,  Esq.  Joseph  gives  to  son  John,  the  house-lot 
on  which  he,  viz. :  the  son,  built,  which  joined  on  the 
south  what,  a  few  years  later,  became  the  Noah  Parsons' 
homestead,  already  described.  Originally,  Esq.  Joseph 
owned  extensively  beyond  the  bridge,  on  the  left,  embra- 
cing not  only  the  two  homesteads  of  his  sons,  John  and 
Noah,  but  nearly  all  the  upland  now  owned  by  E.  H.  R. 
Lyman,  including  the  site  of  his  residence.  If  Lieut.  John 
built  on  this  lot  about  the  time  of  his  marriage,  in  1696, 
as  is  probable,  then  he  seems  to  have  been  among  the  first 
to  settle  permanently  across  the  river,  on  South  street — 
the  first  now  known.  The  Olarks,  Edwards,  Phelps,  Clapps, 
Noah  Parsons,  the  Kingsley  and  the  Strong  families,  all 
probably  settled  there  afterwards.  Lieut.  John  lived  on 
the  place  fifty  years,  till  1746,  into  his  seventy-fourth  year, 
and  saw  great  changes  and  improvements  through  the  en- 
tire street;  served  as  selectman,  but  not  to  the  extent  his 
father  did,  nor  his  next  younger  brother,  Capt.  Ebenezer. 
After  Lieut.  John,  we  have  next  in  the  line  of  descent 
the  youngest  of  his  ten  children,  Joseph  Parsons,  born  1722, 
and  always  lived  on  the  homestead,  into  his  eighty-fifth  year. 
With  the  exception  of  two  short  years,  an  unmarried 
brother,  Benjamin,  lived  the  whole  of  this  long  period 
with  him,  being  at  his  death,  1805,  eighty-eight,  the  old- 
est of  the  family.  Of  Joseph's  four  children,  Oliver  re- 
mained with  his  father,  but  died  four  years  before  him,  1803, 
at  the  age  of  forty-three.  On  the  year  of  his  decease,  1807, 
Joseph  gave  the  homestead  to  his  grandson,  Oliver,  then  a 
young  man  of  twenty-two,  who  lived  after  that  date  fifty 
years,  and  deceased  1857,  leaving  on  the  place  his  brother 
William  and  his  sister  Rhoda.     The  two,  never  married,  con- 


AKCIEKT    KORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  131 

tinned  to  occupy  the  homestead.  The  sister  lived  till  1873, 
being  in  her  seventy-fifth  year.  Major  William,  learned 
the  hatter's  trade  with  Josiah  Dickinson,  on  Pleasant  street, 
and  worked  at  the  business  until  about  fifty.  Deceased,  uni- 
versally respected  in  the  community,  April  23d,  1879,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-seven.  A  neice,  Mrs.  Marshall  Hubbard, 
housekeeper  through  his  last  years,  still  occupies  the  place. 
From  Lieut.  John,  four  generations  into  the  fifth,  have  lived 
on  this  homestead,  stretching  over  the  long  period  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-four  years,  covering  almost  six-sevenths 
of  the  entire  history  of  the  town. 

Homestead  number  twenty-eight.  That  of  the  late  Capt. 
Samuel  Parsons,  on  West  Street,  being  nearly  the  same 
granted  Major  Aaron  Cook  by  the  town  in  1661.  Here, 
Major  Aaron  built  and  lived  twenty  or  more  years,  during 
which,  and  subsequently,  this  neighborhood  became  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Cooks.      See  homestead  number  twenty-three. 

The  Samuel  Parsons  place  dates  back  to  1709,  and  came 
into  the  family  through  Samuel  Lankton,  an  ancestor,  who 
bought  it  that  year  of  Nathaniel  Kust,  and  lived  there  until 
1759.  The  Lanktons  joined  the  settlement  at  least  thirty 
years  before.  Samuel's  daughter,  Sarah  Lankton,  married 
Samuel  Baker,  to  whom,  by  will,  the  proj^erty  descended, 
who  occupied  it  till  his  decease,  1793.  The  same  year,  he 
conveyed  the  estate  to  Phinehas  Parsons,  who  married  his 
daughter,  Mary  Baker.  Neither  Mr.  Lankton  nor  Mr.  Baker 
left  sons,  but  each  had  two  or  more  daughters.  Phinehas 
Parsons  descended  from  Esq.  Joseph,  the  intervening  links 
in  the  family  chain  being  Josiah  and  Isaac.  The  fourth  son 
of  Isaac,  he  became  the  father  of  three  sons  and  the  same 
number  of  daughters.  Hannah  married  Joseph  S.  Bailey, 
who  kept  the  hotel  in   Chesterfield    for   a    number   of   years. 


132  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

till  his  death.  Sarah  married  Col.  Thomas  Pomeroy,  being 
his  second  wife.  Elijah  settled  in  Skaneateles,  where  he 
Jived  until  his  decease,  in  1870.  Phinehas,  the  second  son, 
was  married  and  had  one  son,  but  both  were  short  lived. 
Says  the  inscription  on  the  father's  monument:  '^An  affec- 
tionate husband,  a  tender  father,  a  dutiful  son,  and  a  pleas- 
ant brother." 

To  Capt.  Samuel,  the  youngest  son,  born  1793,  descended 
all  the  real  estate  connected  with  the  old  homestead  on  which 
he  was  born  and  where  he  lived  till  his  decease,  1876.  Hence 
the  expression,  indicating  good  fortune,  which  the  writer  re- 
members hearing  in  early  life,  viz. :  that  Capt.  Samuel  Par- 
sons was  born  with  a  silver  spoon  in  his  mouth.  One  of  the 
enterprising  farmers  of  the  town,  he  served  several  times  as 
selectman.  His  son,  Samuel  L.,  formerly  one  of  the  select- 
men, and  a  member  of  the  legislature,  occupies  the  home- 
stead. Col.  Joseph  B.,  another  son,  lives  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. Reckoning  from  its  purchase  by  Samuel  Lankton  in 
1709,  the  homestead  has  descended  in  a  direct  line  until  the 
present  time  making  in  all  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
years  into  the  sixth  generation. 

Homestead  number  twenty-nine.  John  Parsons,  Jr.  The 
second  of  Lieut.  John's  ten  children,  born  in  the  year  1700, 
married,  1736,  Hannah  Clark,  daughter  of  the  first  Nathaniel. 
John,  Jr.,  established  himself  at  Pascomac,  on  a  part  of  the 
tract  which  his  ancestor.  Cornet  Joseph,  purchased  in  1661. 
At  least  a  part  of  this  property  appears  to  be  owned  by  Lieut. 
John.  Thus  *'  He  gives  to  son  John  one-half  of  the  great 
house  at  Pascomac,  one-half  of  the  barn,  and  one-half  of  the 
house-lot,  from  the  highway  to  the  great  river."  To  the 
heirs  of  Moses,  another  son,  he  gives  the  other  half  of  the 
house,  barn,  and  lot. 


AN^CIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  133 

John,  Jr.,  here  lived,  in  prosperous  circumstances,  nearly 
fifty  years,  1736-1785.  His  wife  survived  him  twelve  years, 
1797.  Of  his  six  children,  four  were  sons.  In  his  will, 
dated  1785,  the  property,  consisting  of  two  homesteads,  is 
thus  divided:  The  one  with  a  new  house  and  barn  he  gives 
one-half  to  Asahel,  the  other  half  to  John;  the  old  house 
in  which  he,  viz. :  the  father,  dwells,  and  the  old  barn  at 
the  top  of  the  hill,  he  gives  to  David  and  Jonathan.  These 
two,  David  and  Jonathan,  were  twins,  and  it  may  be  added 
were  ever  exceedingly  attached  to  each  other.  Apj)licable  to 
the  two,  that  ancient  and  forcible  passage  of  scripture:  1st 
Samuel,  eighteenth  chapter,  the  first  verse — '*The  soul  of 
Jonathan  was  knit  with  the  soul  of  David,  and  Jonathan 
loved  David  as  his  own  soul."  Jonathan  remained  on  the 
homestead,  born  there  in  1747,  there  he  lived  until  1831. 
He  was  baptized  by  Mr.  Edwards,  married  and  admitted  to 
the  church  by  Mr.  Hooker.  At  the  time  of  his  decease,  in 
1831,  he  was  the  oldest  member  of  the  First  church;  lived 
sixty  years  with  his  wife,  who  survived  him.  His  brother 
David  was  among  the  first  settlers  in  Westhampton,  one  of 
the  original  members  of  that  church,  and  continued  to  live 
in  that  town  till  his  death,  about  1823. 

The  second  Jonathan  Parsons,  of  the  third  generation  from 
John,  Jr.,  succeeded  to  the  homestead.  Born  1784,  he  lived 
upon  the  place  fifty-seven  years,  until  1841.  The  last  of 
the  family  identified  with  it  was  a  daughter  of  the  foregoing, 
Mrs.  H.  A.  Collins,  who  lived  there  until  1854,  now  residing 
at  Smiths  Ferry.  In  the  summer  of  that  year,  the  home- 
stead was  sold,  having  been  held  by  four  generations  for  one 
hundred  and  eighteen  years. 

Homestead    number    thirty.       Daniel    Clark,    Elm    street. 

Built  on  the  place  near  the  time   of   his   marriage,    1739,    to 
16 


134  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

Experience,  daughter  of  Dea.  Samuel  Allen.  Married  his 
second  wife,  Mary  Field,  of  Sunderland,  in  1754 — a  married 
pair  for  fifty  years.  When  erected,  this  seems  to  have  been 
the  westernmost  house  in  town.  It  stood  for  some  years  the 
farthest  limit  of  civilization  in  that  direction.  One  hundred 
years  later,  1839,  it  was  known  as  the  Allen  Clark  place. 
Daniel  was  the  second  child  of  Increase,  already  particular- 
ized. Between  the  two,  father  and  son,  several  points  of 
resemblance  appear.  Both  married  at  the  same  age,  viz.: 
twenty-six.  Both  lived  on  thei:|;  respective  homesteads  sixty- 
five  years.  Both  attained  the  same  age,  viz. :  ninety-one. 
The  second  child  of  each  had  the  same  name,  Daniel.  After 
the  foregoing,  who  deceased  1804,  his  son  owned  the  place, 
Solomon,  in  his  later  years  styled  Dea.  Solomon,  though  he 
never  served  officially.  Born  1744,  one  who  remembered  him 
distinctly,  speaks  of  Dea.  Solomon  Clark  as  all  courtesy,  a 
bright,  sunshiny,  emotional  christian.  In  the  revival  of  1816, 
says  the  account,  meetings  were  held  in  the  school  house 
on  Elm  street,  which  stood  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  Hart- 
well.  While  the  young  converts  were  relating  their  expe- 
rience, Dea.  Solomon  seemed  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight;  his 
eyes  sparkled  and  glistened,  his  face  shone;  one  would  think 
he  had  been,  like  Moses,  in  the  Mount.  The  writer  adds: 
Two  or  three  years  preivous  to  his  death,  1818-21,  he  was 
constantly  on  Pisgah's  top,  viewing  with  delight  the  Promised 
Land.  Such  was  this  estimable  man.  He  lived  on  the 
homestead  seventy-seven  years.  His  son,  Allen,  named  from 
his  grandmother.  Experience  Allen,  next  inherited  and  managed 
the  homestead.  Here  he  lived,  before  and  after  his  marriage, 
sixty  years,  1789-1849,  an  industrious,  enterprising,  thrifty 
farmer.  His  son,  Jonathan  Allen,  followed  him  on  the  home- 
stead, built  a  new  house,  where  he   deceased,  1869,    and   his 


ANCIEN^T    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  135 

widow  1870.  Two  years  later,  the  widow  of  Allen  Clark 
deceased,  in  1872.  The  homestead  still  remains  in  the  fam- 
ily, having  been  bought  by  another  son  of  Allen,  Daniel  W. 
Clark,  who,  with  his  son  Daniel,  in  a  house  adjoining,  still 
occupies  the  place.  It  may  be  added,  that  Edwin  C.  Clark, 
whose  war  record  was  so  creditable  to  himself,  the  family, 
and  the  town,  was  for  twenty-five  years  a  member,  and  a 
part  of  the  time  an  engineer,  of  the  fire  department;  super- 
intendent and  treasurer  of  the  Northampton  Street  Kailway 
Company,  is  a  son  of  Allen  and  grandson  of  Dea.  Solomon 
Clark.  Continuing  into  the  fifth  generation,  the  Daniel  Clark 
homestead  has  been  in  the  family  one  hundred  and  forty-two 
years. 

Homestead  number  thirty-one.  Sergt.  Jonathan  Strong, 
South  Street.  The  present  owner,  George  S.,  of  the  fourth 
generation.  Six  Jonathan  Strongs,  of  six  generations,  of  the 
same  stock,  have  lived  in  Northampton,  five  of  them  on 
South  street.  Sergt.  Jonathan  stands  first  of  the  five.  His 
father,  also  Jonathan,  following  the  example  of  his  gi'and- 
father,  elder  John,  and  imitating  the  practice  of  rearing  a 
large  family,  had  no  less  than  seventeen  children.  This  first 
Jonathan,  who  lived  near  the  center,  was  selectman  1731, 
'33,  '37,  '41,  '46.  The  following  respecting  him  may  interest 
some:  "There  was  a  mutual  attachment  between  Jonathan 
Strong  and  Mary  Sheldon,  with  the  expectation,  though  not 
the  pledge,  of  marriage.  On  Feb.  29th,  1704-5,  she  was 
carried  into  Canada  as  a  prisoner  by  the  French  and  Indians. 
When,  after  an  absence  of  two  or  three  years,  by  the  persis- 
tent exertions  of  her  father,  John  Sheldon,  she  was  restored 
to  her  home  in  Deerfield,  her  first  inquiry  was  whether  Jon- 
athan Strong  was  married.  As  her  return  was  deemed  very 
uncertain,  meanwhile  he  had  married  another.     She  also  soon 


136  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

married.  In  1761,  they  both  lost  their  partners,  and  in  1762 
were  married,  he  being  seventy-nine,  she   seventy-five." 

Sergt.  Jonathan,  the  third  of  the  seventeen  children,  first 
saw  the  light  1708.  At  twenty-two,  1730,  the  year  of  his 
settlement  on  the  homestead,  he  married  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Capt.  Eoger  Clapp,  living  in  the  same  neighborhood  on 
South  street.  Several  items  now  follow  showing  that  he  was 
making  his  mark  in  the  community.  In  1738,  the  town 
chose  him  constable.  In  1751  and  '53,  they  chose  him  select- 
man. In  Dec,  1761,  town  voted  to  have  tythingmen  and 
wardens  sit  by  turns  in  some  public  place  in  the  galleries  in 
church,  to  discover  disorders  and  the  like.  Henceforth,  for 
many  years,  the  tythingman,  with  his  long .  rod,  the  symbol 
of  authority,  constituted  an  important  official.  So  far  as  is 
known,  the  first  five  who  thus  officiated,  all  of  them  Strongs, 
stood  as  follows:  1761,  Sergt.  Jonathan;  1762,  Lt.  Caleb, 
father  of  the  governor;  1763,  Ensign  Noah;  1767,  Ensign 
Jonathan;  1773,  Ithamar,  farmer  and  a  boatman  on  the 
Connecticut  river,  father  of  Capt.  David,  who  followed  the 
same  employment,  and  whose  boat,  coming  up  the  river  from 
Hartford,  sometimes  produced  quite  a  sensation. 

In  1774,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six,  Sergt.  Jonathan  Strong  gave 
his  homestead  to  his  sons,  Ebenezer  and  Ensign  Jonathan. 
The  southern  portion  to  Ebenezer,  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of 
Sylvanus  Phelps.  The  northern  portion,  still  in  the  family, 
to  Jonathan.  Twenty-three  years  after,  in  1797,  he  deceased, 
in  his  ninetieth  year;  survived  his  wife  nearly  forty  years. 
Ensign  Jonathan,  born  1737,  married  1772,  at  South  Farms, 
Rachel  Lyman,  daughter  of  Elias,  the  innkeeper,  had  five 
children;  lived  on  the  place  sixty-six  years,  till  1803.  His 
oldest  child,  Jonathan,  born  1773,  lived  at  the  homestead 
until  his  marriage,  1799,  to  Eunice  Clark,  when  he  built  on 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  137 

the  estate,  where  he  lived  till  June,  1855.  Two  unmarried 
brothers,  Asahel  and  Samuel,  occupied  the  house  of  their 
ancestors;  here  they  lived,  one  until  1860,  the  other  till 
1861.  George,  son  of  Jonathan,  married  in  1842,  lived  on 
the  estate  where  his  six  children  were  born,  and  still  associa- 
ted with  his  name.  Five  generations  have  lived  in  the  old 
house,  which  still  stands.  The  homestead  has  continued  in 
the  family,  1730-1881,  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  years. 

Homestead  number  thirty-two.  Samuel  Kingsley,  Jr.,  on 
South  street,  ancestor  of  Dea.  Daniel  Kingsley.  Enos,  of 
the  first  generation,  came  from  Dorchester,  married  in  North- 
ampton, 1662.  His  son,  the  first  Samuel,  born  1674,  mar- 
ried Mary  Hutchinson,  1704.  Their  son,  Samuel,  Jr.,  born 
1710,  married,  1739,  Jemima,  the  second  child  of  Noah  Par- 
sons, Sr.  The  house  he  built  stood  nearly  opposite  the  old 
Noah  Parsons  dwelling,  and  is  the  same  now  standing,  owned 
for  many  years,  till  his  recent  decease,  by  Dea.  Daniel 
Kingsley.  When  originally  purchased  and  first  occupied,  the 
homestead  contained  generous  proportions,  like  some  others  in 
early  times  that  might  be  instanced.  Mill  river  bounded  it 
on  the  north.  Westerly  it  included  the  grist-mill.  It  fronted 
on  South  street  as  far  as  the  top  of  the  hill,  embracing  the 
Bohan  Clark  place.  Gradually,  to  meet  the  public  demand, 
its  limits  have  been  diminished.  For  a  long  time,  but  little 
has  remained  of  the  old  estate  except  the  house  and  a  small 
patch  of  ground. 

Samuel  Kingsley,  Jr.,  had  three  sons,  which  he  loca- 
ted as  follows:  one,  viz.:  Enos,  in  Northampton;  Joseph 
in  Westhamj)ton;  DanieL  who  had  no  children,  in  South- 
ampton. Strong  Kingsley,  who  died  a  few  years  since,  was 
Joseph's  son.  By  special  request,  the  reason  cannot  be  given, 
Samuel,  Jr.,  who  deceased  1781,  at  the  age   of   seventy-one. 


138  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

was  buried  on  his  home-lot,  under  a  specified  apple  tree. 
Almost  fifty  years  later,  this  grave  was  disturbed  by  work- 
men on  the  Hampshire  and  Hampden  canal.  What  became 
of  the  monuments,  the  descendants  do  not  know.  Enos  lo- 
cated in  Northampton,  born  1740,  married  previous  to  1770, 
succeeded  to  the  homestead,  and  lived  there  in  all  eighty-two 
years,  1740-1822.  He  had  ten  children.  What  is  noticeable, 
nine  of  the  ten  children  were  daughters.  When  questioned 
respecting  his  family,  the  number  of  his  children,  the  father, 
who  had  a  vein  of  humor,  used  to  say  he  had  nine  daughters 
and  every  one  of  them  had  a  brother.  One  of  the  nine  was 
the  wife  of  Esq.  Levi  Lyman,  a  man,  to  quote  another,  *^of 
infinite  humor,  great  suavity  of  manners,  and  much  given  to 
anecdote  and  facetious  remarks;"  held  various  offices  under 
the  state  and  general  governments.  Two  of  the  nine  were 
the  first  and  second  Mrs.  Theodore  Parsons,  of  Southampton, 
one  of  them  the  mother  of  Mindwell,  the  wife  of  the  late 
Smith  Parsons.  Another  of  the  nine  was  Mrs.  Joseph  H. 
Breck,  afterwards  Mrs.  Pease,  mother  of  Kev.  Joseph  Hunt 
Breck,  who  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  But 
not  to  particularize  respecting  all  the  nine,  except  to  say 
none  of  them  are  now  among  the  living,  their  descendants, 
numerous,  widely  scattered,  fill  various  and  important  posi- 
tions. 

Pass  to  the  third  on  this  homestead,  Enos  Kingsley,  Jr.,  born 
1770,  whose  name  was  identified  with  it  until  1845.  A  few 
words  respecting  some  of  his  children  of  the  fourth  generation. 
Enos,  a  child  of  three  or  four,  was  scalded,  and  died  Jan. 
9th,  1808.  Daniel,  who  owned  the  place,  as  already  inti- 
mated, was  born  1809.  His  business  career  embraced  a  period 
of  about  fifty  years,  1830-1880.  Elected  to  the  legislature 
in    1853    and    1855.      For   nearly    twenty    years    an    efficient 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  1.^9 

superintendent  of  the  First  Church  Sabbath  School.  For 
sixteen  years  one  of  the  deacons  of  that  church.  Filled 
other  positions  with  marked  ability.  Known  very  exten- 
sively, not  only  in  his  native  county,  but  in  different  and 
distant  portions  of  the  land,  for  the  excellence  of  his  char- 
acter. In  a  letter  dated  March  19th,  Spartanburg,  S.  C, 
the  writer  says:  "Daniel  Kingsley,  my  old  schoolmate  and 
playfellow,  has  gone.  We  were  very  intimate  in  childhood. 
He  was  a  good  man,  and  has  gone  to  his  reward."  Not  to 
omit  the  mention  of  another  son,  George  Kingsley,  whose 
life  has  been  devoted  to  musical  culture,  whose  name  stands 
among  the  foremost  as  an  organist  and  a  musical  composer, 
who,  at  different  periods,  has  occupied  some  of  the  best  sit- 
uations in  Boston,  Philadelphia,  and  Brooklyn.  The  place 
has  been  associated  with  four  generations,  possibly  with  five, 
during  an  interval  of   one  hundred  and  forty-two  years. 

Homestead  number  thirty-three.  Medad  Edwards,  on 
South  street,  son  of  Samuel,  Jr.,  whose  homestead,  number 
thirteen,  has  already  received  attention.  Medad's  lay  the 
second  north  of  his  father's.  The  seventh  of  the  eight  chil- 
dren of  the  family,  and  born  1726,  he  was  next  older  than 
the  first  Nathaniel,  the  schoolmaster.  Must  have  married 
and  built  on  South  street  as  early  as  1754,  probably  a  little 
earlier,  because  a  tradition  remains  of  his  house  as  a  **  block 
house "  during  the  Indian  troubles.  Houses  thus  called  were 
much  used  in  those  times  as  a  means  of  defence.  Two 
stories  in  height,  usually  constructed  of  logs,  the  lower  story 
penetrated  several  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground;  the 
upper  projected  on  all  sides  beyond  the  lower.  The  North- 
ampton settlement  contained  several  of  these  fortified  houses. 
Thither,  in  time  of  alarm,  the  people  retreated  for  protection 
until  succor  arrived.      Thrilling  scenes  sometimes  occurred  in 


140  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

the  experience  of  the  settlers  and  their  children.  Mrs.  Phebe 
Lyman  Strong,  Gov.  Caleb's  mother,  born  1717,  used  to  say- 
that  one  day,  when  a  child,  she  was  on  her  way  to  the  block 
house  with  a  playmate,  towards  night-fall,  and  that  as  they 
stepped  aside  to  gather  flowers,  an  Indian  rushed  suddenly 
out  of  some  bushes  near  by,  and  seizing  her  companion,  bore 
her  off,  and  that  she  was  never  seen  again  by  her  friends. 
President  D wight's  grandmother  told  him  that  in  1704, 
she,  a  child  of  eleven,  with  many  others,  was  in  a  fortified 
house  near  the  church.  Outside,  through  the  portholes, 
they  could  distinctly  see  the  French  and  Indians,  five  hun- 
dred or  more,  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  house. 

Even  as  late  as  1746,  an  order  was  issued  requiring  forti- 
fied houses  to  be  erected  in  every  small  neighborhood  through- 
out the  settlement.  According  to  tradition,  Medad  Edwards' 
house  was  of  this  description.  Here  he  lived  into  his  eighty- 
first  year,  till  1806.  His  son,  the  second  Medad,  occupied 
and  retained  the  place,  the  father  of  three  sons,  Joseph,  Asa, 
and  Asa  Pomeroy.  The  second,  Asa,  was  drowned  in  boy- 
hood, in  Mill  river.  Asa  Pomeroy  died  in  early  manhood. 
Joseph,  the  only  surviving  son,  married  Sarah  King,  of  Pel- 
ham.  Jane,  their  only  child,  married,  about  1852,  Frederic 
Tubbs.  The  homestead  remains  in  the  family,  occupied  by 
Mrs.  Sarah  Edwards  and  Jane  Edwards  of  the  fourth  gener- 
ation, having  continued  in  Medad's  line  at  least  one  hundred 
and  twenty-seven  years. 

Homestead  number  thirty-four.  Josiah  Parsons,  recently 
the  late  Lyman  Parsons,  Bridge  street.  Has  an  ancient  date, 
1674.  Came  into  the  family  through  Cornet  Joseph  Parsons 
from  England.  One  of  Springfield's  first  settlers  in  1636, 
where  several  of  his  children  were  born.  His  wife,  Mary, 
the  daughter  of  Thomas  Bliss,  was  of  Windsor,  the  date   of 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  141 

their  marriage,  1646.  United  with  the  little  band  at  North- 
ampton in  1655,  assisted  in  founding  and  developing  the  in- 
fant settlement,  placed  on  the  board  of  selectmen  in  1656, 
traded  in  furs;  the  first  licensed  by  the  town  to  keep  a 
house  of  entertainment,  with  the  restriction  of  preserving 
good  order,  the  establishment  probably  on  a  small  scale,  but 
sufficiently  extensive  for  the  times;  bought  a  large  tract  of 
land  at  South  Farms,  some  of  which  continued  in  the  fam- 
ily nearly  two  hundred  years;  had  other  landed  property. 
The  title,  Cornet,  points  to  the  position  he  sustained  in  a 
cavalry  company,  the  one  who  bore  the  colors,  the  third  offi- 
cer in  rank  in  the  company.  He  purchased  the  Josiali  Par- 
sons homestead  of  John  Bliss,  in  1674;  whether  a  brother 
of  his  wife,  or  a  remoter  relative,  is  not  known.  At  first, 
its  westerly  boundary  was  Market  street.  But  forty  years 
later,  in  1713,  it  extended  to  the  brook  west  of  Market 
street.  He  lived  in  Northampton  nearly  twenty-five  years, 
1655-1679,  during  which  acted  several  times  as  selectman. 
Several  of  his  children  also  became  of  age;  one  or  more  of 
them  married.  Joseph,  the  lawyer,  the  most  prominent  of 
his  sons,  married  in  1669.  For  what  reason  is  not  known, 
but  in  1679,  Cornet  Joseph  returned  to  Si:)ringfield,  where  he 
died  about  1683.  Samuel,  his  son,  owned  the  homestead,  af- 
ter his  father,  1684-1709,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  months 
in  1705,  when  he  sold  it  to  Samuel  Porter  of  Hadley,  but 
bought  it  back  the  same  year.  In  1709,  the  first  Josiah 
Parsons  comes  into  notice.  The  sixth  child  of  Esq.  Joseph's 
large  family;  born  in  1681,  he  married  Sarah  Sheldon,  daugh- 
ter of  Isaac,  in  1710,  having,  the  previous  year,  bought  the 
homestead  of  his  uncle,  Samuel  Parsons.  The  house  then 
standing  the   same    as    the   present    Elisha   Graves    house    on 

Market  street,  is  over  two  hundred  years  old,  one  of  the  his- 
17 


142  AKTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

toric  structures,  and  one  of  the  very  oldest  in  the  town.  It 
was  originally  one  of  those  block  houses  already  described, 
fitted  up  as  a  fort,  where  the  neighbors  used  to  resort  for 
safety  from  the  attacks  of  Indians.  Who  built  it,  whether 
the  first  Joseph,  or  the  preceding  owner,  John  Bliss,  proba- 
bly no  one  can  tell.  The  expense  of  the  structure,  at  least 
in  part,  devolved  on  the  early  settlers.  Josiah  Parsons  lived 
on  this  homestead,  1710-68,  fifty-eight  years,  into  his  eighty- 
seventh  year.  Whole  number  of  his  children,  nine.  Isaac, 
his  son  and  successor,  born  in  1715,  married  in  1744,  then 
twenty-nine,  an  event  and  a  date  marking  the  erection,  on 
the  easterly  end,  of  the  present  Lyman  Parsons'  dwelling, 
and  also  subsequently  the  division  of  the  homestead  into  two 
parts,  east  and  west.  Isaac  received  from  his  father  the 
easterly  half,  and  Josiah,  Jr.,  married  in  1751,  the  westerly. 
The  westerly  portion  will  be  noticed  hereafter.  Isaac  had 
eleven  children,  and  lived  into  his  eighty-fourth  year,  1715- 
98.  One  of  the  eleven,  Elijah,  graduated  and  entered  the 
ministry,  and  became  a  Connecticut  pastor.  Another,  Josiah, 
born  in  1769,  remained  on  the  homestead.  Married  in  1791, 
the  father  of  twelve  children.  The  oldest,  Fanny,  born  in 
1794,  the  wife  of  Justin  Clark,  at  Rail  Hill,  near  Leeds, 
has  deceased  in  her  eighty-six  year,  since  1880  commenced. 
Lyman,  the  fifth  child,  born  in  1801,  succeeded  his  father 
on  the  place,  where  his  four  children  were  born.  He  has 
recently  deceased,  and  the  homestead  is  still  occupied  by  his 
widow  and  her  children.  Dating  from  its  purchase  in  1674, 
by  Cornet  Joseph,  the  ancestor  of  the  Parsons'  race,  the 
homestead  has  continued  in  the  family  two  hundred  and 
seven  years.  Seven  generations  having  been  associated  with 
it,  covering  eight-ninths  of  the  whole  period  of  the  town's 
history. 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  143 

Homestead  number  thirty-five.  Josiah  Parsons,  Jr.,  born 
in  1713,  married  Prudence  Kellogg  in  1751.  Keceived  from 
his  father  the  westerly  half  of  the  original  homestead. 
Always  lived  on  the  place,  1713-96,  the  father  of  three  chil- 
dren, daughters.  Naomi,  the  first,  died  unmarried,  in  1794. 
Prudence  married  in  1790,  Dr.  Samuel  Porter  of  Williams- 
town.  Abigail,  the  youngest,  married,  in  1785,  Elisha  Graves. 
Their  daughter,  Abigail,  born  in  1788,  deceased  in  1819. 
Since  the  decease  of  Josiah  Parsons,  Jr.,  in  1796,  it  has  been 
known  as  the  Graves  homestead.  The  first  Elisha  Graves,  se- 
lectman, deceased  in  1826,  sixty-eight,  the  father  of  the  late 
Mrs.  John  Clarke.  The  second  Elisha,  born  in  1796,  lived  on 
the  place  eighty-two  years,  1796-1878.  The  third  Elisha,  son 
of  the  preceding,  and  brother  of  H.  B.  Graves,  now  owns  the 
homestead.  Reckoning  from  the  marriage  of  Josiah,  Jr.,  in 
1751,  four  generations  into  the  fifth,  have  occupied  it  one 
hundred  and  thirty  years.  Dating  from  the  purchase  of  the 
whole  place  in  1674,  its  existence  in  the  family  runs  parallel 
with  the  preceding,  that  of  Josiah  Parsons,  Sr.,  viz.:  two 
hundred  and  seven  years. 

Homestead  number  thirty-six.  Rev.  John  Hooker's,  same 
as  the  Hon.  Eliphalet  Williams',  on  King  street.  Born  in 
Kensington  parish,  part  of  Berlin,  Ct.,  in  1729,  passed  his 
early  days  in  agricultural  pursuits,  graduated  at  Yale  College 
in  1751.  Ordained  in  Northampton  in  1753.  Two  years 
later,  married,  in  1755,  Sarah,  daughter  of  the  celebrated 
Col.  John  Worthington,  of  Springfield;  this  date  marks  the 
first  occupancy  of  that  homestead.  Here  he  lived  from  1755 
-77,  a  little  short  of  twenty- two  years.  Here  his  children, 
nine  or  ten  in  all,  were  born,  1756-75.  Mary,  the  oldest, 
married  in  1779,  Rev.  Solomon  Williams,  and  always  lived 
in  that  house.      Sarah  married  in  1777,    Gov.    Caleb   Strong. 


144  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Lucy,    the    youngest    of  the    family,    married    Hon.    E.     P. 
Ashmun,  lawyer,  and  senator  in  Congress.      Of  the  five  sons 
who  attained  manhood,  the  following  two  may  be  mentioned: 
Hon.  John  Hooker,  of   Springfield,  chief  justice  of  the  court 
of  Common  Pleas,  a   trustee    of    Amherst    College.      William 
Hooker,  who  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Ebenezer  Hunt,  set- 
tled in  Westhampton  in  1788.      Continued  in  practice   forty- 
six  years;    lived  to  be  ninety-four,  1766-1861,  a  skillful  physi- 
cian,   a   devoted   christian.      Worth  inserting,    an   item   from 
Breck  &  Hunt's  ledger,  respecting  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker's  trade  with 
them    in   1772-73.      "  Had    some   coffee,    chocolate    and    tea, 
more  than  most  others — not  much  rum,  and  many  dry  goods." 
A  man  of  medium  size,  a  benignant  aspect,  a  lovely  disposi- 
tion, and  engaging  manners;   moreover,  a  man    of  talent,    of 
finished  elocution,  earnest,  attractive  in  the  pulpit,  his  death, 
in  the  midst  of  life  and  usefulness,    from    small  pox,    cast    a 
deep  gloom  over  a  united  people.      The  second  on  this  home- 
stead. Rev.  Solomon  Williams,  retained  his    personal   connec- 
tion with  it  fifty-five  years,    1779-1834.      No   death    occurred 
in  his  family  for  the  first  thirty-six  years;  none  probably  after 
the  first,  in  1815,  in   that   dwelling,    till    his    own,    in    1834. 
For  the  first  forty-six  years  of  his  ministry,  only  one  church 
existed  in  the    town.      Three   names   of   the   next   generation 
are  specially  associated  with  this  homestead.      Hon.  Eliphalet 
Williams,  the  superior  financier   and  bank   President,    deacon 
of  the  First  Church,    who    lived    to    be    ninety-four;    Samuel 
Williams,   a   farmer,    selectman,    and   captain    of   the    North- 
ampton artillery  company;    and  the  very  excellent  Mary  Wil- 
liams, who  survived   her   honored,    estimable   father   nineteen 
years,  1853.    This  ministerial,  historic  homestead  is  occupied  by 
the  family.     Rev.  John  Ellery  Tyler,  son  of  Bennett  Tyler,  D. 
D.,  married,  in   1837,  Mary,  daughter  of  Eliphalet  Williams. 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  145 

Both  have  deceased,  but  their  two  daughters,  the  Misses 
Tyler  and  Miss  Williams,  occupy  it.  It  has  continued  in  the 
family  through  four  generations  into  the  fifth,  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  years. 

Before  passing  to  the  next  homestead,  it  occurs  to  the 
writer  to  say  that  for  nearly  eighty  continuous  years,  the 
Williams  house  was  the  parsonage  or  minister's  house  of 
Northampton.  Another  fact  in  this  connection.  The  wives 
of  the  first  five  ministers  of  the  town  all  survived  their  hus- 
bands. Mrs.  Esther  Mather  outlived  Eev.  Eleazar  Mather, 
the  first  pastor,  sixty-seven  years.  She  afterward  married 
Eev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  the  second  minister.  They  lived 
together,  1674-1729.  She  survived  him  seven  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Edwards  both  died  in  1758.  He  in  March  and  she 
in  October.  Mrs.  Hooker  survived  her  husband  forty  years, 
1777-1817.  Mrs.  Williams  survived  him  eight  years,  1834- 
1842.  .  Three  of  the  four  were  long  lived.  The  first,  Mrs. 
Mather  and  Mrs.  Stoddard,  attained  the  age  of  ninety-one. 
Mrs.  Hooker  lived  to  be  eighty-five,  and  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Williams,  reached  the  same  age. 

Homestead  number  thirty-seven.  Thomas  Judd,  South 
Farms,  grandson  of  Dea.  Thomas,  the  ancestor  of  the  New 
England  Judds.  His  father,  the  first  Samuel,  lived  on  the 
Mason  homestead,  on  Pleasant  street,  which,  for  some  ninety 
years,  more  or  less,  1680-1770,  was  occupied  by  three  Sam- 
uel Judds,  father,  son,  and  grandson.  Here  Thomas,  born  1691, 
and  his  brothers  and  sisters,  twelve  in  all,  received  their  early 
training.  In  1718,  he  married  Hannah  Bascom,  and  after 
living  a  few  years  in  the  village,  removed  to  the  east  side  of 
Mt.  Tom,  to  a  tract  since  called  South  Farms,  opposite 
South  Hadley,  preceded  there,  1687,  by  Lieut.  John  Ly- 
man.     See  homestead    number    ten.      Here    he    lived    until 


146  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

1749,  in  his  fifty-ninth  year.  His  widow  survived  him, 
on  the  place  nearly  twenty  years,  1768.  Of  his  ten  chil- 
dren, Reuben  and  Simeon,  twins,  died  young.  Three  of 
his  sons  settled  in  South  Hadley,  the  ancestors  of  the 
South  Hadley  branch  of  the  Judd  race.  Two  of  his 
daughters  married  South  Hadley  men,  the  family  being 
well  represented  in  that  town.  Another  married  Elijah  Al- 
vord,  ancestor  of   the  Greenfield  Alvords. 

The  third  son,  Samuel  Judd,  twenty-eight  when  his  father 
deceased,  continued  on  the  homestead  seventy-four  years,  1721- 
1795.  His  four  children  were  daughters.  The  third  and 
fourth  died  young.  Maria  and  Eunice  received  their  father's 
property,  and  with  their  husbands  occupied  the  homestead. 
Maria  mamed  John  Alvord,  1779.  Whole  number  of  their 
children,  ten  or  eleven.  She  deceased,  1810,  at  fifty-five. 
Eunice  married  Lewis  Smith,  1785;  lived  in  a  new  house  on 
the  estate,  but  a  few  rods  from  the  old  one,  where  their 
eleven  children  were  born.  She  survived  her  sister  nearly 
forty  years,  until  August,  1849,  being  in  her  eighty-third 
year.  The  homestead  remains  in  the  family.  Charles  Smith, 
one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Lewis  and  Eunice,  owns  the 
place;  has  always  lived  on  it  until  recently.  Present  resi- 
dence at  Holyoke.  The  ancient  Judd  house,  erected  as  early 
as  1730,  after  being  occupied  by  the  descendants  over  one 
hundred  years,  was  taken  down  about  the  year  1835.  The 
spot  is  now  occupied  by  the  vinegar  house  of  Mr.  Charles 
Smith.  Milo  J.  Smith,  representative  in  1842,  selectman 
between  1845  and  1869,  some  nine  times,  is  a  brother  of 
Charles,  and  a  descendant  of  Thomas  Judd.  The  homestead 
has  remained  in  the  family  from  about  1730-1881,  at  least 
one  hundred  and  fifty-one  years.  Five  generations  have  been 
connected  with  it. 


A]^CIENT    KORTHAMPTOK    HOMESTEADS.  147 

Homestead  number  thirty-eight.  Lieut.  Nathaniel  Strong, 
Hawley  street,  ancestor  of  William  and  Daniel's  children,  of 
the  sixth  generation,  born  on  this  ancient  spot.  The  third 
child  of  Elder  Ebenezer,  born  in  1673,  when  his  grandfather, 
the  eminent  Elder  John,  was  in  the  zenith  of  his  usefulness. 
Between  Lieut.  Nathaniel  Strong  and  his  cousin,  Lieut.  John 
Parsons,  already  considered,  several  resemblances  appear.  Both 
were  born  in  the  same  neighborhood,  the  same  year;  their 
fathers  were  prominent  in  the  community.  Both  married 
within  a  few  months  of  each  other,  one  in  1696,  the  other 
in  1697;  sustained  the  same  rank  in  a  military  company, 
served  as  selectmen,  had  the  same  number  of  children,  ten. 
One  had  six  sons  and  four  daughters;  the  other  had  seven 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Both  were  farmers,  and  lived,  the 
former,  Lieut.  Nathaniel,  to  be  seventy-seven,  and  Lieut. 
John  to  be  seventy-three. 

But  dropping  the  point  of  resemblance,  a  few  words  re- 
specting two  of  Lieut.  Nathaniel's  sons,  Daniel  and  Job,  the 
first  a  farmer,  the  second  a  collegian,  a  missionary  associated 
at  one  time  with  David  Brainard,  also  afterward  a  minister. 
Daniel  aided  his  brother  in  obtaining  his  education,  which 
he  could  not  have  done  without  his  assistance,  and  gave  him 
a  further  sum  in  his  will.  Both  died  when  young,  Daniel 
at  twenty-six,  and  Job,  a  settled  minister  in  Portsmouth,  N. 
H.,  at  twenty-seven.  Another  Daniel  Strong,  who  deceased 
in  1805,  grandson  of  Lieut.  Nathaniel,  a  farmer  and  a  black- 
smith in  Northampton,  was  drum  major  in  the  Revolutionary 
war,  and  went  commonly  by  the  name  of   '^Dub  Strong." 

Pass  to  Nathaniel  Strong,  Jr.,  born  in  1698,  the  oldest  of 
ten,  who  followed  his  father  on  the  homestead,  and  married  in 
1721,  Miriam  Sheldon,  daughter  of  Ebenezer.  The  whole 
number  of  their   children,    twelve.      The    second    child.    Re- 


148  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

becca,  married  Simeon  Clark,  in  November,  1749;  Rev.  Jon- 
athan Edwards  performed  the  ceremony.  The  next  year 
removed  to  Amherst,  chosen  one  of  the  first  deacons  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  there,  the  father  of  twelve  chil- 
dren. Their  homestead,  still  in  the  Clark  family,  ranks 
among  the  ancient  ones  of  Amherst.  The  present  Simeon 
Clark,  grandson  of  the  foregoing,  sustained  the  office  of  deacon 
in  the  same  church.  Nathaniel  Strong,  Jr.,  died  of  a  cancer, 
in  1781,  aged  eighty-three,  highly  esteemed  for  a  meek,  gen- 
tle, inoffensive,  benevolent  deportment;  all  through  that 
stormy  period,  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  Edwards'  ministry, 
showed  unwavering  attachment  to  the  great  theologian. 

After  him  came  Simeon  Strong,  his  seventh  child,  born  in 
1734,  the  third  on  the  homestead,  where  he  lived  eighty-five 
years,  till  1820,  fifty-one  of  which  with  his  second  wife.  Both 
attained  the  same  age.  His  children  numbered  eleven.  He 
followed  the  double  occupation  of  farmer  and  cooper.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  his  seventh  child,  Levi,  a  leading  tenor 
singer  of  the  First  Church;  sometimes  officiated  as  chorister. 
Another  son  of  Simeon,  his  ninth  child,  Nathaniel,  born  in 
1783,  followed  blacksmithing  in  early  life.  When  about 
forty,  he  lamed  his  arm  and  became  unable  to  follow  his 
trade.  Without  delay,  turned  his  attention  to  books,  went 
to  the  grammar  school,  attained  a  respectable  education,  en- 
tered on  the  study  of  medicine.  When  qualified  to  practice, 
went  west,  established  himself  at  Centerville,  Ohio,  lived  in 
that  community  to  be  upwards  of  eighty.  Rose  to  distinc- 
tion in  his  profession,  became  wealthy,  respected  and  useful. 
He  was  the  fourth  Nathaniel  Strong  in  the  family  line,  on 
Hawley  street,  one  of  the  four  having  deceased  when  young. 

After  Simeon  Strong,  the  next  on  the  homestead  was  his 
eighth  child,  Joseph,  born  between  Levi  and  Nathaniel,  mar- 


ANCIEi^rT    NORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  149 

ried  in  1808,  Rachel  Phelps,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Phelps,  al- 
ready mentioned,  who  lived  near  Shady  Lawn.  Joseph  Strong 
always  continued  on  the  place,  1780-1860,  where  his  eight  chil- 
dren were  born,  and  where,  on  a  part  of  the  homestead,  his  sons, 
William  and  Daniel,  still  reside.  Fifteen  years  ago,  most  of 
the  place  passed  into  the  hands  of  Gen.  Benjamin  Cook,  who 
bought  it  for  his  son-in-law,  George  H.  Burrows.  William 
and  Daniel  reserved  one  acre  each  for  their  homestead. 
William's  children  number  nine;  Daniel's  five.  Counting 
from  the  first  Nathaniel,  and  including  the  two  families  just 
mentioned,  the  whole  number  of  children  born  on  the  prem- 
ises, belonging  to  the  Strong  race,  amounts  to  fifty-five. 
Bringing  the  reckoning  down  to  the  present  time,  the  home- 
stead has  continued  in  the  line  of  Lieut.  Nathaniel  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four  years  in  connection  with  six  generations. 

The  next  three  homesteads,  represented  by  three  brothers, 
Ebenezer,  Jr.,  Ezra,  and  William,  sons  of  Lieut.  Ebenezer 
Clark,  the  almost  centennarian,  follow  each  other  in  the 
order  here  chosen. 

Homestead  number  thirty-nine.  Ebenezer  Clark,  Jr.,  Elm 
street,  same  as  Dea.  Jared  Clark's.  The  oldest  of  eight 
children,  born  in  1714,  married  Jerusha  Russell  of  Sunder- 
land, about  1740.  This  is  supposed  to  be  the  time  he  built 
and  settled  where  he  continued  into  his  sixty-ninth  year,  in 
1782.  Number  of  their  children  not  given.  Several  died 
young.  Four  survived  their  parents,  three  continued  on  the 
homestead.  Two  of  the  three  remained  unmarried,  Medad  and 
Rhoda.  Abner  Clark,  born  in  1763,  married  in  1795,  Olive 
Strong,  went  early  to  Ohio,  and  there  settled.  Jared,  who 
succeeded  his  father,  born  in  1766,  married  Jan.  8th,  1800, 
and  deceased  in  1831.      Had  five  children.      One   of  the  five, 

a  daughter,  deceased  in  1805.     The  rest  still  live.      The  old- 
18 


150  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

est  of  the  four  and  the  third  on  the  place,  born  early  in 
this  century,  Dea.  Jared  Clark,  has  always  lived  there. 
Chosen  to  the  office  of  deacon  in  the  First  Church  in 
1839,  forty-one  years  ago.  Daniel  Russell,  a  brother  of 
Dea.  Jared,  lives  near  the  homestead.  Four  generations 
have  been  associated  with  it  through  a  period  1740-1881, 
of  one  hundred   and  forty-one  years. 

Homestead  number  forty.  Ezra  Clark,  house  near  the 
toll  gate,  on  Bridge  street.  Next  younger  than  the  fore- 
going, born  in  1716,  married  in  1739.  In  1742,  Benjamin 
Alvord  conveyed  to  him  a  house  and  parcel  of  land  near 
the  bridge.  Here  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  days  till  1788, 
being  the  father  of  ten  children,  five  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters. It  is  noticeable  that  none  of  the  ten  died  under 
maturity.  In  the  Revolutionary  war,  Ezra  Clark  stood  as 
one  of  the  committee  of  fifteen,  and  in  1776,  one  of  the 
selectmen.  His  seventh  child,  Jonas,  born  in  1751,  and 
married  as  soon  as  1785,  possibly  sooner,  survived  his  father 
on  that  locality,  forty-five  years,  reaching  the  age  of  eighty- 
two.  Placed  several  times  on  the  board  of  Selectmen.  The 
next,  of  the  third  generation,  Spencer  Clark,  born  in  1786,  mar- 
ried as  early  as  1817,  continued  nearly  seventy  years,  until  1855. 
Remembered  as  keeper  of  the  toll  gate  for  many  years,  the 
father  of  Jonas,  who  preached  in  connection  with  the  Meth- 
odist denomination,  and  whose  suggestion  that  new  monu- 
ments be  placed  at  the  grave  of  Lieut.  William  Clark  by  his 
numerous  descendants,  it  is  hoped  will  be  carried  into  effect. 
The  homestead  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Spencer  Clark 
of  the  fourth  generation.  It  has  continued  in  that  family 
into  the  fifth,  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  years. 

Homestead    number    forty-one.      William    Clark,    on    Elm 
street,  the  last  of  the  trio   of  brothers.      Between    1746   and 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  151 

1869,  that  place  was  not  without  a  William  Clark,  four  in 
all.  The  first,  the  ancestor  of  that  branch,  born  in  1721, 
married  and  settled,  as  is  supposed,  about  1746.  A  farmer, 
and  for  some  years,  1753-57,  drove  fat  cattle  to  Boston. 
Continued  on  the  place  sixty  years  and  over,  till  Dec.  29th, 
1807,  being  in  his  eighty-seventh  year.  He  and  Daniel  Clark, 
his  cousin,  were  neighbors  fifty-eight  years.  The  second 
William,  tall,  large  framed,  born  in  1764,  next  occupied  the 
homestead,  1764-1842.  Remembered  as  a  singer  and  chorister 
for  a  long  time,  of  the  school  house  evening  meetings,  on 
Elm  street.  A  stirring,  enterprising,  forehanded  farmer,  the 
father  of  six  or  more  children.  The  third  William,  born 
about  1794,  lived  on  the  place  seventy-five  years.  Besides 
being  a  farmer,  he  owned  the  paper  mill  and  manufactured 
paper.  His  two  sons,  the  fourth  William  and  Lucius,  were 
associated  with  him.  It  may  be  proper  to  say  that  for 
soundness  of  judgment  and  large  business  capacity,  the  third 
WiUiam  Clark  stood  high  in  the  community.  He  and 
his  son  William  deceased  near  the  same  time,  in  1869. 
Though  the  homestead  has  mostly  passed  into  other  hands, 
yet  the  widow  of  the  fourth  William  and  her  daugh- 
ters, still  hold  and  occupy  the  dwelling,  which  for  sixty 
years  has  stood  on  a  corner  of  this  estate.  Has  continued 
into  the  fifth  generation  from  one  hundred  and  twenty-three 
to  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  years. 

Homestead  number  forty-two.  The  second  Elias  Lyman, 
South  Farms.  Born  in  that  part  of  the  town  in  1740,  and 
in  1764  married  Hannah,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Clapp,  a 
major  in  the  militia,  son  of  Capt.  Eoger.  The  same  year 
built  about  a  mile  north  of  his  father's,  not  far  from  Rock 
Ferry,  where  his  nine  children  were  born.  Kept  a  public 
house,  which  continued  through  two   generations,    nearly  one 


152  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

hundred  years.  Prospered  in  his  undertakings,  educated  two 
of  his  sons  at  Dartmouth  College.  One  of  the  two,  Simeon, 
spent  several  years  in  London,  secretary  to  Gen.  William 
Lyman,  U.  S.  Minister,  also  of  Northampton.  Some  of  his 
descendants,  through  his  daughter  Elizabeth,  are  known  for 
their  literary  abilities.  Asahel,  his  fourth  son,  a  sterling 
man,  lived  with  his  father  and  continued  there  in  all  eighty- 
eight  years,  till  1864.  Managed  the  estate  with  great  pru- 
dence, and  successfully.  His  wife,  Lucy  Parsons,  of  Conway, 
with  whom  he  lived  three  score  years,  spent  her  last  days 
with  their  only  child,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Williston.  She  lived  to  be 
over  ninety.  The  father  and  the  son,  Elias  and  Asahel, 
occupied  the  homestead  just  a  century,  1764-1864.  Thus 
Lieut.  John  Lyman's  descendants,  see  homestead  number  ten, 
lived  at  South  Farms,  on  the  two  homesteads,  1687-1864, 
one  hundred  and  seventy-seven  years. 

Homestead  number  forty-three.  Noah  Bridgman,  North 
Farms.  Originally,  the  settlers  called  this  part  of  the  town, 
Horse  Mountain,  for  the  following  reason:  After  completing 
the  spring  work,  they  turned  out  their  horses  and  cattle  to 
feed  on  this  eminence,  some  four  miles  away  from  the  vil- 
lage. It  is  not  properly  a  mountain,  but  a  moderately  ele- 
vated hill.  It  corresponded  to  what  Western  people  style 
*^Oak  openings."  In  process  of  time,  the  settlers  gave  it 
the  name  of  Horse  Mountain,  and  so  it  uniformly  went.  Of 
late  years,  another  and  preferable  name  has  been  substituted, 
viz. :  North  Farms.  The  Bridgmans  first  led  the  way  thither. 
The  Indians,  quelled  on  the  cessation  of  the  French  and  In- 
dian war,  attention  soon  began  to  be  turned  in  that  direction. 
To  encourage  emigration,  the  town  voted  Noah  Bridgman  a 
tract  of  land  in  Horse  Mountain.  The  date  of  this  vote 
cannot    be    given.       Unfortunately    on    many    accounts,    the 


ANCIEifT    NORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  153 

Northampton  records  covering  this  period,  1754-1772,  are 
missing.  It  is  supposed,  however,  to  have  been  about 
1759.  The  Noah  Bridgman  referred  to  was  the  second  of 
that  name.  The  first  Noah  was  of  the  fourth  generation 
from  James,  the  settler,  who  died  1676;  the  second  from 
James,  viz.:  John,  died  1712;  the  third.  Deliverance,  de- 
ceased 1738;  the  fourth,  Noah,  born  1705,  married  Mehit- 
able  Warner,  1731.  His  son,  the  second  Noah,  born  about 
1733,  married,  1759,  Mercy  Clark,  daughter  of  Joseph 
Clark,  a  farmer  at  Southampton,  son  of  the  first  Nathan- 
iel on  South  street.  These  two  Noahs,  father  and  son, 
were  together  in  their  removal  to  their  new  home.  The 
date  of  the  son's  marriage  is  important,  1759.  He  was 
then  twenty-six,  just  starting  in  life.  The  father,  then 
fifty-four,  followed  the  fortunes  of  his  son  in  leaving  the 
center  of  civilization.  He  lived  at  Horse  Mountain,  1759- 
76,  seventeen  years.  His  widow  survived  him  there  eighteen 
years,  1794,  aged  eighty-six.  Noah,  the  second,  outlived  his 
father  forty-four  years,  1820,  and  reached  the  age  of  eighty- 
seven.  Had  at  least  two  sons,  Joseph  and  Noah.  Joseph 
married  Mary  Judd,  1796,  the  daughter  of  his  neighbor, 
William  Judd.  She  was  grandmother  of  S.  E.  Bridgman 
and  Edward  P.  Bridgman.  Whole  number  of  Joseph's  and 
Mary's  children,  eight:  Sylvester,  John,  Ansel,  Theodore, 
and  others.  Theodore  still  lives  in  Cleveland,  0.  Ansel  en- 
tered the  ministry  and  settled  at  Huntsburg,  0.,  and  died 
1838,  while  pastor  of  the  church  in  that  town,  an  excellent, 
highly  esteemed,  useful  minister. 

Joseph's  line  on  the  homestead  was  continued  through  his 
second  son,  John,  who  occupied  it  till  his  death,  1860,  when 
it  passed  into  other  hands.  Four  generations  of  Bridgmans 
into  the  fifth,  lived  upon  it  one  hundred  and  one  years.    Here 


154  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

a  few  words  may  be  inserted  respecting  the  third  Noah 
Bridgman,  brother  of  Joseph.  He  also  found  a  wife  at 
Horse  Mountain,  viz.:  Asenath  Judd,  daughter  of  William, 
married  1804.  Among  the  number  of  their  children  may  be 
mentioned  Rev.  Lewis,  preaching  at  the  "West,  and  Miss 
Lucinda,  now  living  at  Huntsburg,  Ohio.  After  spending 
over  thirty  years  of  married  life  at  Horse  Mountain,  the 
third  Noah  moved,  1835  or  1836,  to  Huntsburg,  0.,  where 
he  died  at  an  advanced  age,  and  where  also  his  wife  died. 
The  three  Noahs  lived,  each,  over  threescore  and  ten,  and 
the  second  one  far  on  toward  ninety.  The  Bridgman  family, 
which  started  so  well  the  North  Farms  settlement  in  1759, 
a  name  so  thriving  there  in  1820,  has  now  quite  entirely 
disappeared  from  the  place.      Not  one  remains. 

Homestead  number  forty-four.  William  Judd,  nephew  of 
the  Thomas,  who  settled  at  South  Farms,  1730.  See  home- 
stead thirty-seven.  William  Judd,  Sr.,  lived  where  William  R. 
Clapp's  sash  and  blind  shop  now  stands,  the  home-lot  extend- 
ing to  the  brook  east  of  the  depot.  Between  William  Judd, 
Jr.,  the  oldest  of  six  children,  and  the  second  Noah  Bridg- 
man, notice  the  following  points  of  resemblance:  Both 
were  born  about  the  same  year,  1733.  Both  married  the 
same  year,  1759.  Both  settled  at  Horse  Mountain.  Their 
families  intermarried.  Date  of  William  Judd's  settlement 
at  North  Farms,  ninety-seven  years  ago,  1784.  His  young- 
est child  was  a  few  weeks  old  when  he  moved  there.  He 
reared  a  family  of  eleven  children,  and  deceased  1807,  in 
his  seventy-fifth  year.  Eunice,  the  oldest,  always  infirm, 
remained  unmarried,  and  nearly  completed  her  eighty-eighth 
year,  1847.  His  youngest  died  four  years  ago  in  her  ninety- 
fourth  year.  William's  line  continued  on  the  homestead 
through  Warham,   the  second  prominent  Judd  name  there, 


ANCIENT    KORTHAMPTOK    HOMESTEADS.  155 

the  first  son  of  the  eleven  children,  born  1769.  Lived  on 
the  same  hill  till  his  decease,  1843.  Of  his  eight  chil- 
dren, only  two  continued  beyond  infancy.  One  of  the  two, 
William,  born  1810,  still  lives  at  Horse  Mountain.  His 
stepmother,  widow  Charity  Look,  Warham  Judd's  third 
wife,  from  South  Hadley,  married  1829,  still  lives  on  the 
original  homestead.  Venerable  for  years,  she  is  one  of  the 
oldest  persons  in  Northampton,  having  passed  her  ninety- 
fourth  birthday,  and  from  the  time  of  her  first  coming  to 
North  Farms,  1829,  has  been  a  member  of  the  First  Church. 
Four  generations  of  that  branch  of  the  Judd  race  have  lived 
on  that  ancient  homestead.  During  the  more  than  half  a 
century  of  widow  Charity's  connection  with  the  Judd  family, 
it  has  undergone  numerous  changes.  Widely  scattered,  only 
one  of  the  name,  William  Judd,  remains  at  North  Farms. 

Homestead  number  forty-five.  Daniel  Warner,  same  as 
Joseph's,  Bear  Hill,  or  the  Warner  district,  beyond  Florence. 
Daniel  was  of  the  third  generation  of  the  Northampton 
Warners.  Mark  Warner,  of  the  first,  settled  in  Hadley 
about  1670,  where  he  married  the  next  year.  Removed  to 
Northampton  1687.  Bought,  1694,  a  homestead,  which  in- 
cluded the  corner  where  John  Clarke,  the  banker,  long  after 
owned  and  lived.  After  some  twenty  years,  sold,  went  to 
Westfield,  returned  late  in  life  to  Northampton,  where  he 
died  1738.  The  record  does  not  give  his  exact  age.  Ac- 
cording to  a  family  tradition,  he  was  ninety-two. 

His  son,  the  second  Mark,  born  at  Hadley,  1677,  married 
Lydia  Phelps,  1701,  lived  at  Blackpole,  same  as  Prospect 
street  continued,  died  1766,  in  his  ninetieth  year.  Had 
eleven  children  —  seven  daughters.  Mehitable,  as  already 
stated,  married,  1731,  the  first  Noah  Bridgman.  Daniel,  the 
eighth  child,  born  1717,  married,  1746,  Jemima,  daughter  of 


156  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Samuel  Wright.  Date  of  his  removal  from  Blackpole  to 
what  went  by  the  name  of  Bear  Hill,  beyond  Florence,  not 
definitely  fixed.  Supposed  to  be  near  the  time  the  Bridg- 
man  family  went  to  North  Farms,  viz. :  1759.  The  same 
reason  that  retarded  the  settlement  at  Horse  Mountain,  de- 
layed the  one  at  Bear  Hill,  viz. :  insecurity  arising  from  In- 
dian assaults.  That  removed  by  the  termination  of  the 
French  and  Indian  war,  settlements  soon  followed  in  the 
outskirts,  north  and  west  from  the  center.  The  fire  de- 
stroyed the  house  erected  by  Daniel  Warner,  1790,  fourteen 
years  previous  to  his  death.  It  stood  ten  rods  in  the  rear  of 
the  one  now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  descendant,  John 
Flavel  Warner.  That  first  dwelling  and  the  Fairfield  place, 
in  Haydenville,  were  the  only  ones,  when  built,  between 
Blackpole  and  Williamsburg.  Here,  and  in  the  one  after- 
wards built,  Daniel  Warner  lived  about  forty-five  years,  till 
1804,  having  attained  his  eighty-eighth  year.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  nine  years,  reaching  her  ninety-second  year.  Of 
his  seven  children,  five  were  daughters,  and  all  married.  His 
son  and  successor,  the  first  Joseph,  born  1751,  married,  1779, 
Jerusha  Edwards,  sister  of  Justin,  who  moved  to  Westhamp- 
ton,  father  of  Kev.  Dr.  Justin  Edwards,  whose  name  was 
such  a  tower  of  strength  to  the  temperance  movement. 
Joseph  Warner  and  wife  lived  together  fifty-four  years,  1779- 
1833.  Had  eleven  children,  seven  sons  and  four  daughters. 
Oliver,  Solomon,  and  Joseph,  settled  near  each  other,  hence 
the  name,  Warner  district.  He  deceased,  1836,  aged  eighty- 
four,  the  youngest  of  the  three  preceding  ancestors.  Con- 
tinued his  church  going  habits  until  quite  old. 

Joseph,  son  of  Joseph,  the  preceding,  born  1789,  married 
1814,  was  the  third  on  the  homestead.  Had  six  children. 
Educated  his  first-born  at  Williams  College.      Deceased  1840, 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  157 

aged  fifty-one.  His  widow  survived  him  twenty-eight  years. 
The  third  Joseph,  after  graduating,  1841,  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  sewing  silk,  near  Florence,  having  various 
partners,  it  is  said,  always  prospering.  From  1860  to  1873, 
conducted  the  business  alone.  **His  skein  sewing  silk  held 
the  highest  position  in  the  markets."  A  man  of  true  worth, 
the  better  known,  the  better  appreciated.  Deceased  1877, 
not  quite  sixty.  The  father  of  two  children.  The  oldest, 
Luther  J.  Warner,  a  graduate,  continues  the  business. 

The  youngest  of  the  second  Joseph,  viz. :  John  Flavel 
Warner,  remains  on  the  homestead.  The  present  commo- 
dious dwelling  is  the  third  occupied  by  the  family  since  1759. 
John  F.  Warner,  the  father  of  seven  children,  has  been  se- 
lectman several  times,  and  also  a  representative  to  the  legis- 
lature. The  homestead  has  continued  into  the  fifth  genera- 
tion of  Daniel's  line,  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  years. 

What  may  be  called  the  tea   story,  connected    with   Daniel 

Warner's  wife,  may  be  new  to  some  of  that  race,  as   also   to 

others.      Her  maiden  name  was  Jemima  Wright,  daughter  of 

Samuel.      Born  1722,  she  lived  several  years  in  Col.  Timothy 

Dwight's  family.      The  house  stood  on  the  corner  of   Market 

and    Walnut    streets.       She    used    to  tell    her   grandchildren, 

eleven  in  number,  Oliver,  Solomon,  Professor  Aaron,  Josej)h, 

and  others,  that  the  first  tea  ever  had   in    Northampton    was 

sent  to  Col.    Dwight   by   a   friend    in    Boston,    and    was   not 

called  tea,  but  simply  **bohea."     She  said  that  they,  in  their 

ignorance  of  the  article,  instead    of  using   a   spoonful,    more 

or  less,  steeped  the  whole  at  once,  a  quarter  of   a   pound,  as 

they  would  make  an  herb  drink;    and  that   it   was    so   bitter 

they  could  not  drink  it,  and  threw  it  away  in  disgust.     Such 

was  the  first   experience   in   tea-making   and   tea-drinking   in 

Northampton  previous  to  1746. 
19 


158  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Homestead  number  forty-six.  Nathaniel  Edwards,  3d, 
Koberts  Meadow.  As  previously  stated,  the  name  of  that 
locality  comes  from  Robert,  the  youngest  brother  of  the  first 
Richard  Lyman,  in  Northampton.  Exceedingly  fond  of 
roving,  sporting  practices,  he  spent  much  time,  to  the  dis- 
comfort of  his  large  family,  which  lived  on  Hawley  street, 
hunting,  trapping,  fishing,  and  the  like;  sometimes  success- 
ful, sometimes  otherwise,  his  favorite  places  of  resort  situated 
in  the  west  part  of  the  town.  Hence  those  familiar  locali- 
ties, Roberts  Hill,  Roberts  Meadow,  took  their  name  from 
him.  In  the  end,  according  to  tradition,  it  proved  a  dan- 
gerous pastime.  He  was  found  frozen  in  the  forest,  where 
he  had  fallen  in  pursuit  of  his  game.  Public  records  indi- 
cate that  he  first  discovered  the  Westhampton  lead  mines. 
Originally,  before  any  attempts  at  setttlement  were  made, 
Roberts  Meadow,  including  also  most  of  the  territory  of 
Westhampton,  went  by  the  name  of  Long  Division.  Thus, 
it  is  said.  Col.  Timothy  Dwight  of  Northampton,  wealthy 
for  those  days,  who  invested  largely  in  real  estate,  owned  at 
one  time  a  great  part  of   Long  Division. 

Respecting  the  Roberts  Meadow  settlement,  it  was  aided  or 
promoted  by  the  earlier  one  at  Westhampton.  The  first  on 
record  who  built  there  in  1771-72,  just  inside  the  Northamp- 
ton line,  was  John  E.  Tucker.  He  erected  a  log  structure 
on  the  Nathaniel  Edwards'  farm,  east  of  what  has  long  been 
the  Joel  Cook  place.  It  was  probably  a  temporary  structure. 
The  next  one  there,  and  generally  considered  the  first  per- 
manent settler  at  Roberts  Meadow,  was  the  name  at  the  head 
of  this  homestead,  Nathaniel  Edwards,  3d.  He  was  of  the 
fifth  generation  from  Alexander  Edwards  from  Wales,  who  set- 
tled at  Welsh  End,  now  West  street.  His  son,  the  first  Nathan- 
iel, was  born  in  Northampton  in  1657,  soon  after  the  family 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  159 

arrived  at  the  settlement.      Nathaniel,  Jr.,    born   1694,    mar- 
ried   Mary    Strong,    daughter    of   Samuel    and    Ruth   Strong. 
Their  son,  Ebenezer  Edwards,  born  in  1727,  killed  by  the  fall 
of  a  tree  in  1771,  had  nine  children,  among  them  Nathaniel, 
3d,  born  in  1749,  married  in  1773,  this  last  being  no  doubt  the 
date  of  his  settlement  at  Roberts  Meadow;    except  the  Tucker 
family,  his  nearest  neighbors   being    over   the   line   in    West- 
hampton.       Whole    number    of   his    children,    thirteen;     five 
died  in  infancy.      John,  aged  seventy-five  at   his   decease,    in 
1856,  always  lived    on   the    place,    a   farmer   and   unmarried. 
Nathaniel's    fourth   child,    Asenath,    married,    in    1811,    Rev. 
Josiah    Clark,    pastor    at    Rutland,    the    parents   of   the    late 
Professor  Josiah.     His  sixth,  Lucy  Edwards,  married,  in  1817, 
David  L.  Dewey,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Josiah  Clark,  widow  of  the 
Professor.      Mrs.  Dewey,   some   fifty-eight  years  a  widow,  de- 
ceased in   1879,    in   her   ninety-second   year.      Nathaniel   Ed- 
wards, 3d,  innkeeper  and  farmer,  usually  went   by   the  name 
of  Landlord,  or  more  familiarly,  '*  Landerd  "  Edwards.     Kept 
the  toll  gate  thirty  years  or  so,  of  the  turnpike  running  from 
the  east  side  of  Roberts  Hill   to   the   east   line   of   Pittsfield. 
Lived  on  the  homestead  nearly   sixty   years,    1773-1832,    suc- 
ceeded there  by  his  fifth  child,  born  in  1784,  Capt.  David  Ed- 
wards, farmer  and  innkeeper;    also  connected  in  the    tanning 
business  with  two  brothers-in-law,  David  L.  Dewey  and  Leander 
Moody.      The  homestead  continued  in  the  family,  1773-1863, 
ninety  years  into  the  third  generation.      Mrs.    H.    B.    Hoxie 
still  lives  in  the  house  opposite  the   old   tavern   stand.      She 
is  the  second  daughter  of  Capt.  David,  and  is   now  the    only 
descendant  of  Landlord  Edwards  living   at    Roberts   Meadow. 
A  part  of  the  old  farm  is  still  owned  by  her,  having  been  in 
the  family  one  hundred  and   eight   years.      Her   son,    D.    E. 
Hoxie,  of  Northampton,  a  great-grandson  of   Nathaniel,    the 


160  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

innkeeper,  is  of  the   eighth    generation    from   Alexander   Ed- 
wards, who  settled  at  Welsh  End. 

Homestead  number  forty-seven.  Elijah  Allen's,  at  Roberts 
Meadow.  Included  in  the  tract  called  Long  Division,  its 
possession  in  the  family  dated  back  to  the  time  of  his  father, 
Joseph,  who  lived  on  King  street,  1712-1779,  on  the  corner 
of  King  and  Edwards  street.  In  many  respects  an  uncommon 
man.  Remarkable  for  the  strength  of  his  intellect  and  his 
religious  character,  for  the  number  of  his  sons  who  went  into 
the  revolutionary  war,  five  in  all.  Two  of  the  five  rose  to 
the  rank  of  major  and  two  were  captains.  Three  of  his 
seven  sons  entered  the  ministry.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Parsons 
Allen,  was  that  remarkable  woman  referred  to  already,  who 
assisted  at  the  birth  of  so  many  children  in  Northampton, 
full  three  thousand  in  number.  As  the  following  will  show 
from  his  will,  he  owned  considerable  land,  viz. :  a  share 
in  the  Square  Mile  Tract,  so  called  a  hundred  years  ago, 
at  Southampton.  Also,  at  Roberts  Meadow,  a  part  of  the 
Long  Division  territory;  also,  a  lot  at  Brush  Hill.  Sev- 
eral lots  in  the  meadows,  viz. :  one  in  Old  Rainbow,  one 
in  the  Upper  Meadows,  and  one  near  Middle  Meadow  hill. 
He  had  a  pasture  in  Blackpole,  also  land  near  Noah  Bridg- 
man's,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  town.  Of  his  fourteen 
children,  ten  settled  in  families  and  received  portions  in 
their  father's  will,  which  is  a  document  of  peculiar  inter- 
est, witnessed  by  his  neighbor.  Rev.  John  Hooker,  his 
wife  Sarah  Hooker,  and  Gov.  Caleb  Strong.  Solomon,  his 
son,  afterward,  1801-20,  so  useful  in  the  ministry,  of  very 
precious  memory,  received  what  became  a  homestead,  out 
of  the  Long  Division  territory  at  Roberts  Meadow.  As  he 
married  in  1774,  he  probably  located  upon  it  at  that  time. 
But  exactly   how  many  years   he    remained,    and   how  many 


AN^CIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  161 

of  his  children  were  born  there,  cannot  say.  It  has  come 
down  in  the  family  that  he  had  a  child  drowned  in  the 
brook,  which  passed  directly  in  front  of  the  house,  and 
moreover  that  in  the  course  of  a  single  week,  he  killed 
as  many  as  seven  bears.  Whether  he  received  a  bounty 
on  these  bears,  as  Major  Aaron  Cook  did  at  an  earlier  date, 
on  his  twenty-seven  wolves,  is  not  known.  No  wonder 
both  of  these  men  proved  such  valiant  soldiers  and  military 
officers.  Solomon  Allen  sold  to  his  brother  Elijah  in  1786. 
That  being  the  date  of  the  Shay's  insurrection,  in  quell- 
ing which  he  bore  a  conspicuous  part,  therefore  probably 
the  reason  of  his  selling  the  homestead  at  that  time. 
Providence  had  a  wider,  more  eminent  sphere  for  him  in 
his  later  years.  Since  1786  that  homestead  has  been  held  in 
that  branch  of  the  Allen  family.  Four  Elijahs,  of  as  many 
generations,  have  been  associated  with  it.  Elijah  Allen,  the 
first,  one  of  the  executors  of  his  father's  will,  who  commenced 
at  Roberts  Meadow,  at  the  age  of  thirty,  continued  there,  a 
neighbor  of  Nathaniel  Edwards,  forty-four  years,  till  1830. 
A  man  of  an  excellent  spirit.  Elijah  the  second,  brother 
of  Capt.  Joseph,  father  of  Mrs.  Spencer  Parsons  and  Mrs. 
Marshall  Hubbard,  married  in  1810,  Electa,  daughter  of  the 
first  Joseph  Warner,  sister  of  Oliver,  Solomon,  Professor 
Aaron,  Joseph,  and  others.  Whole  number  of  their  chil- 
dren, eight.  A  granddaughter,  Clara  Minerva,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  Brewster,  married,  in  1856,  Rev.  Hiram  Bing- 
ham, missionary.  Present  residence  at  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands. The  second  Elijah  lived  on  the  place,  1786-1826, 
forty  years.  Deceased  four  years  before  the  first,  and  fol- 
lowed on  the  homestead  by  his  son,  the  third  Elijah,  born 
in  1817,  who  married  Lovisa  Clark  in  1849,  daughter  of  Na- 
than Clark,  of  Westhampton.     Number  of  their  children,  two. 


162  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Has  always  lived  on  the  place.  His  son,  Eli j  all  Edwards, 
of  the  fourth  generation,  was  born  in  1852.  Thus  the 
Allen  place  at  Eoberts  Meadow  has  descended  from  father  to 
son,  reckoning  from  Joseph,  the  original  owner  of  the  land 
for  at  least  one  hundred  and  ten  years,  and  probably  for  a 
longer  period,  in  connection  with  five  generations. 

Homestead  number  forty-eight.  Calvin  Clark,  Rail  Hill, 
part  of  Leeds.  The  fifth  of  Dea.  Elijah's  seven  sons,  born 
in  1770,  on  Elm  street,  in  the  Justin  Smith  house.  At 
twenty-two,  being  the  year  of  his  marriage,  viz. :  in  1792,  settled 
as  aforesaid,  about  six  miles  from  the  center,  the  house  then 
erected  stood  the  farthest  in  that  direction  towards  the  Wil- 
liamsburg line.  Coincident  with  this  movement  occurred 
another  in  the  same  family.  Calvin's  brother,  Dea.  Luther 
Clark,  negotiated  in  1792,  with  his  next  neighbor.  Major  Dan- 
iel Pomeroy,  for  a  house-lot  adjoining.  Seventeen  years  after, 
1809-1860,  the  same  became  the  Solomon  Stoddard  home- 
stead. 

But  passing  on  in  this  account,  the  next  Rail  Hill  Pio- 
neer, selecting  his  estate  a  mile  or  more  nearer  the  center, 
was  Luke  Day.  For  fifty  years,  Calvin  Clark  and  Luke 
Day,  members  of  the  First  Church,  previous  to  the  year 
1800,  were  neighbors;  their  places,  important  landmarks  in 
that  district,  continue  in  the  respective  families  till  the  pres- 
ent time.  Jonathan  Day,  son  of  Luke,  recently  deceased,  has 
occupied  the  homestead,  having  continued  in  the  family  in  con- 
nection with  three  generations,  eighty-seven  years,  1794-1881. 
Another,  an  earlier  pioneer  and  proprietor,  whose  house  stood 
midway  between  the  two  mentioned,  was  James  Smith.  Pre- 
ceding all  others,  so  far  as  known  at  Rail  Hill,  his  settle- 
ment dates  as  early  as  1790;  some  assign  1787  as  the  year. 
From  four  to  six  or  seven  years   after    the   war   of   Indepen- 


AKCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  163 

dence  would  cover  the  time.  The  war  ended,  immediately 
he  started  on  foot  with  another  for  the  west.  Leaving  their 
families  behind  in  Boston,  but  not  their  axes  which  they  car- 
ried on  their  shoulders,  in  due  time  they  reach  "Williamsburg, 
originally  spoken  of  as  "the  Hatfield  addition."  After  pro- 
viding each  a  log  structure,  the  men  returned  for  their  fam- 
ilies. James  Smith's  consisted  of  his  wife  and  three  or  four 
children.  The  location  chosen  as  a  home  was  in  the  south- 
west part  of  Williamsburg.  Here  he  lived  a  few  years,  not 
later  than  1790,  when  he  changed  his  residence  over  the 
Northampton  line,  selecting  a  pleasant  locality,  commanding 
excellent  scenery,  the  outlook  no  doubt  at  the  time  presented 
strong  attractions.  There,  in  a  house  not  large,  and  still 
standing,  he  reared  a  numerous  family.  The  father,  and  at 
least  some  of  the  children,  are  remembered  as  tall  in  stature. 
James,  Jr.,  on  attaining  maturity,  settled  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood, where  he  deceased  in  1836,  aged  fifty-eight.  Her- 
mon,  born  in  1794,  and  therefore  among  the  younger  of  the 
family,  lived  on  the  old  place,  in  a  house  opposite  his  father's. 
About  1860,  he  sold  and  went  to  Florence,  where,  interested 
in  the  past,  in  old  times,  people,  localities,  ways  and  expe- 
riences, abounding  in  entertaining  and  useful  information, 
well  posted  in  regard  to  Kail  Hill  encounters  and  incidents, 
he  still  resides,  having  passed  some  eighty-six  mile  stones  on 
the  road  of  human  life. 

But  resuming  the  thread  of  Calvin  Clark's  history,  he  mar- 
ried Lucy  Parsons,  aunt  of  Esq.  Enos.  Whole  number  of 
their  children,  seven  or  more.  Within  the  past  twelve  months, 
three  advanced  in  life,  leaving  a  good  record,  have  termina- 
ted their  earthly  career.  Of  the  first  and  second  generations 
only  one  survives.  Dexter  Clark,  a  resident  on  Maple  street, 
for    about    forty    years.      The    homestead,     now    eighty-nine 


164  AKTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

years,  1792-1881,  in  the  family,  continues  in  tlie  hands  of 
Edward  L.  Clark,  son  of  Justin,  grandson  of  Calvin,  the 
second,  third,  and  fourth  generations  having  been  born  there. 
The  present  is  the  third  house  built  since  1792.  It  is  proper 
to  add,  and  it  illustrates  the  value  of  a  correct  early 
training,  the  Calvin  Clark  family  living  so  far  from  the  cen- 
ter, six  miles,  yet  regularly,  punctually,  at  all  seasons  at- 
tended church  in  Northampton  for  nearly  fifty  years.  In 
1838,  uniting  with  the  Williamsburg  church,  eight  miles  out 
of  twelve,  were  saved  each  Sabbath.  Of  his  six  brothers  and 
one  sister,  Calvin  lived  the  longest,  till  Feb.,  1862,  in  his 
ninety-third  year. 

Many  the  changes  that  passed  under  his  observation,  dur- 
ing the  seventy  years  of  his  Kail  Hill  life.  Shejoherd's  fac- 
tory, Leeds,  the  various  industries  of  that  enterprising  vil- 
lage; Florence,  with  its  streets,  edifices,  factory  buildings, 
shops,  stores,  schools,  churches,  savings  bank,  all  have  since 
come  into  existence.  Those  earliest  structures  within  the 
limits  of  Florence,  viz. :  the  dwelling  and  oil  mill  of  Josiah 
White  and  the  Gains  Burt  place  have  a  subsequent  date.  So 
at  Leeds,  first  called  Shepherd's  Hollow.  The  first  business 
movement  there  commenced  after  1809.  All  along  the  way, 
between  the  Allen  Clark  homestead,  on  New  Boston  or  Elm 
street,  and  Calvin  Clark's,  no  houses  appeared,  except  the 
Joseph  Warner  and  James  Smith's.  All  quiet  at  the  paper 
mill.  No  movement  there  on  the  part  of  William  Butler 
until  two  years  later,  1794.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that 
until  quite  recently  three  octogenarians  were  living,  born  at 
Kail  Hill  in  1794-95,  were  boys  together,  viz. :  Justin  Clark, 
Hermon  Smith,  Dexter  Clark.  A  fourth  might  be  added, 
only  a  year  or  two  younger,  Jonathan  Day.  Two  of  the 
four  still  live,  aged   men,    born   in   the   Smith  and   the  Cal- 


AKCIENT    NORTHAMPTOK    HOMESTEADS.  165 

vin  Clark  house,  near   the   beginning   of    the    Rail   Hill    set- 
tlement. 

Homestead  number  forty-nine.  Eleazar  Strong,  South 
street,  son  of  Ithamar  and  brother  of  Capt.  David,  both 
boatmen  on  the  Connecticut.  His  brother  Ithamar,  unmar- 
ried, was  a  revolutionary  soldier.  Eleazar,  born  in  1754, 
bought  the  land  he  built  on  of  Asahel  Clapp,  father  of 
Theodore,  previous  to  1780.  At  this  latter  date,  one  hun- 
dred years  ago,  married  Mindwell,  daughter  of  Noah  Par- 
sons, Jr.,  and  Phebe  Bartlett.  They  had  nine  children. 
He  and  several  of  his  sons  were  carpenters.  Joseph,  the 
third  son,  was  an  architect.  Thomas,  a  farmer,  died  sud- 
denly, July  12th,  1825,  from  drinking  cold  water.  Eleazar, 
the  father,  lived  to  be  seventy-seven,  and  his  wife  eighty- 
eight.  George,  the  seventh  child,  born  in  1792,  succeeded 
his  father  and  married  Lydia  Bartlett  in  1820,  with  whom 
he  lived  thirteen  years.  Deceased  in  August,  1833,  suddenly, 
by  a  fall  from  the  aqueduct  which  he  was  building  on  the 
old  canal,  the  staging  gave  way  and  he  fell  on  the  rocks  be- 
neath, breaking  his  back.  His  widow  survived  him  nearly 
half  a  century,  until  Jan.  23d,  1880.  His  sons  were  in  the 
army,  one  in  the  navy,  William  L.,  three  years  in  the  tenth 
regiment,  took  part  in  many  battles,  the  regiment  belonging 
to  the  army  of  the  Potomac.  Henry  H.,  orderly  sergeant, 
saw  nine  months'  service;  in  the  siege  at  Port  Hudson.  Af- 
terward station  agent  at  Easthampton.  George  H.,  also  in 
the  army,  kept  a  variety  store  at  Northampton.  Three  gen- 
erations lived  on  the  place  during  an  interval  of  one  hundred 

years. 

Homestead    number    fifty.       Widow    Eunice    Breck,    King 
street,    mother   of   Aaron,    Moses,    and    Wainwright,  who  de- 
ceased   in    1811,    when    twenty-one.       She    was    among    the 
20 


166  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

younger  of  Joseph  Allen's  fourteen  children.  See  homestead 
forty-seven  and  also  number  three.  In  his  will,  dated  in 
1776,  Joseph  Allen  says:  *'To  my  daughter,  Eunice  Allen,  I 
devise  and  bequeath  the  sum  of  £80  of  lawful  money,  to  be 
paid  her  by  my  son  Elijah,  in  two  years  after  my  decease,  or 
on  her  day  of  marriage,  whichsoever  shall  first  happen."  She 
married  Samuel  Breck  in  1777,  who  bought,  in  1781,  a  piece 
of  land  of  Simeon  Pomeroy,  one-fourth  of  an  acre  and  four 
rods  (it  being  a  part  of  the  homestead  previously  occupied 
by  Eev.  Jonathan  Edwards.)  Situated  on  the  right  hand 
corner  of  King  and  Edwards  streets.  Here  he  first  erected 
a  kitchen  part;  a  few  years  later,  in  1788,  built  the  main 
dwelling.  The  three  sons  already  mentioned  were  here  born; 
also,  at  least,  one  daughter.  Here  Joseph  Allen's  widow, 
the  celebrated  Elizabeth  Parsons  Allen,  spent  her  last  days 
with  her  daughter,  where  she  deceased  in  the  year  1800,  re- 
spected by  the  entire  community.  Here,  also,  lived  to  the  age 
of  seventy-seven,  and  reared  sons  and  daughters,  Dea.  Aaron 
Breck.  His  two  daughters  own  the  homestead.  One  hun- 
dred years  have  elapsed  since  the  original  purchase.  Includ- 
ing widow  Joseph,  four  generations  have  lived  on  the  place. 
Homestead  number  fifty-one.  Timothy  Jewett,  Elm  street. 
Settled  in  Northampton  in  1786.  Whole  number  of  his  chil- 
dren, scTen — four  sons  and  three  daughters.  All  of  them 
lived  into  middle  life,  and  one  over  four  score.  One  son 
built  and  settled  in  Blackpole,  between  one  and  two  miles 
from  his  father's.  One  located  among  the  earliest  in  Flor- 
ence. One  always  lived  at  the  south,  and  still  lives  there. 
Timothy  Jewett  was  a  mechanic;  by  his  ingenuity  a  very 
useful  citizen.  Ansel,  the  third  son,  lived  on  the  place,  had 
several  children.  Two,  a  son  and  daughter,  lived  in  Buffalo. 
The  daughter  married  Mr.  Bradford,  a  music  dealer  in   that 


AI^CIENT    NORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  167 

city.  Since  his  death,  she  and  her  children  have  lived  a 
part  of  the  time  at  the  homestead  in  Northampton.  Miss 
Betsey  Jewett  still  surviving  on  the  place;  also,  the  widow 
of  Ansel.  It  has  continued  ninety-five  years  in  the  family 
in  connection  with  four  generations. 

Homestead  number  fifty-two.  Charles  Starkweather,  origi- 
nated at  Mansfield,  Ct.  Located  on  South  street,  North- 
ampton, Oct.,  1787,  then  twenty-eight.  His  oldest  child, 
Haynes  K.  Starkweather,  born  the  same  year.  Chosen  one 
of  the  selectmen  in  1803.  Lived  on  the  homestead  fifty-five 
years  and  a  few  months,  1787-1843,  until  his  eighty-fifth 
year.  His  son  and  successor,  Haynes  K.  Starkweather,  con- 
tinued there  seventy-eight  years,  1788-1866,  the  father  of 
several  children.  Frederick  M.  Starkweather  graduated, 
taught,  fitted  for  the  ministry,  but  never  settled.  Deceased 
early.  Haynes  K.  Starkweather,  Jr.,  now  in  California, 
filled  the  ofiice  of  Selectman  sixteen  or  seventeen  years  in 
succession.  Homestead  owned  and  occupied  by  Charles  G. 
Starkweather,  ninety-four  years  in  that  family,  four  genera- 
tions have  been  associated  with  it. 

Homestead  number  fifty-three.  Daniel  Wright,  Bridge 
street.  Now  occupied  by  Miss  Anna  Wright  and  her  mother, 
widow  of  Ferdinand  Hunt  Wright,  cashier  of  the  old  Hamp- 
shire County  Bank,  Northampton.  Daniel  Wright  served  as 
postmaster  sixty  years  ago.  Bought  this  house  in  1808,  has 
been  in  the  family  ever  since.  A  very  ancient  structure, 
has  been  standing  over  two  hundred  years,  and  goes  back  to 
very  early  times.  Nathaniel  Parsons,  who  deceased  in  1807, 
lived  in  it.  Supposed  to  have  long  been  held  by  the  Parsons 
race.  It  has  been  intimated  that  Cornet  Joseph  Parsons  kept 
his  house  of  entertainment  there.  Daniel  Wright  formerly 
lived  opposite  on  the    Isaac   C.    Bates'   place.      That   side   of 


168  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Bridge  street,  containing  several  Wright  families,  was  known 
at  the  commencement  of  this  century,  as  the  Wright  neigh- 
borhood. It  occurs  to  the  writer  to  say  in  conclusion  that 
the  two  most  ancient  dwellings  probably  in  Northampton: 
the  Daniel  Wright  and  the  Elisha  Graves  stood  not  far  from 
each  other,  the  former  on  Bridge  street,  the  latter  on  Market. 
Homestead  number  fifty-four.  Capt.  Joseph  Hawley,  Haw- 
ley  street,  afterwards  Augustus  Clarke's,  now  George  H.  Bur- 
rows. The  first  of  the  three  Josephs  and  the  ancestor  of 
the  Northampton  Hawleys.  A  native  of  Roxbury,  a  son  of 
Thomas.  Graduated  at  Harvard,  1674,  in  a  class  of  three, 
under  President  Hoar,  came  at  once  to  Northampton,  only 
nineteen,  twenty  years  from  its  first  settlement,  being  the 
fourth  graduate  connected  with  the  town.  Welcomed  by  the 
settlers,  elevated  to  useful  positions,  became  the  grammar 
school  teacher,  representative  to  the  legislature,  received  the 
title  of  Mr.,  very  sparingly  used  in  those  days,  given  to  but 
six  or  eight  in  the  community.  Chosen  captain  of  the  mili- 
tary company,  a  very  high  mark  of  honor.  The  Court  of 
Common  Pleas,  organized  in  1692,  numbered  among  its 
judges,  Capt.  Joseph  Hawley.  He  married  Lydia  Marshall, 
daughter  of  Capt.  Samuel  Marshall,  from  Windsor,  Ct.,  a 
selectman  and  a  prominent  citizen,  his  house  supposed  to 
stand  near  the  site  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Date  of  this 
marriage,  1677,  twenty-two  years  of  age.  Whole  number  of 
their  children,  seven;  an  exception,  in  this  respect,  among 
the  Hawley  families.  Three  of  the  second  and  third  gener- 
ations left  no  children.  Of  Capt.  Joseph's  seven,  four  were 
sons,  Joseph,  Samuel,  Ebenezer,  Thomas.  Thomas  entered 
college  and  the  ministry  in  Connecticut,  1713-38.  His  daugh- 
ter lived  to  be  eighty-eight,  and  her  husband.  Rev.  Nathan 
Birdseye,  reached  the  great   age   of   one  hundred   and  three. 


ANCIENT    NOKTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  169 

They  were  the  ancestors,  on  the  mother's  side,  of  the  two  pro- 
fessors, Josiah  D.  Whitney  of  Harvard,  and  William  D.  Whit- 
ney of  Yale;    also,  of  Miss  Maria  Whitney  of  Smith  College. 

Besides  the  four  sons,  there  were  two  daughters.  Lydia 
Hawley,  born  1680,  married,  1702,  Capt.  Henry  D wight,  a 
farmer  and  trader,  at  Hatfield.  A  man  of  wealth  and  stand- 
ing, also  for  several  years  one  of  the  judges  of  the  county 
court;  known  best  in  the  community  by  his  military  title  even 
when  honored  as  judge.  Military  titles  in  those  days  out- 
weighed in  public  estimation  civil  and  judicial.  The  com- 
munion service  now  used  by  the  Hatfield  Church,  came,  it  is 
said,  from  Capt.  Henry  D wight,  one  hundred  and  sixty  years 
ago.  On  the  monument  of  his  wife,  Mrs.  Lydia  Dwight,  is 
the  following:  ''The  dust  is  cast  down  and  levelled  with 
the  dust;  but  not  the  souls  who  trust  in  the  Lord  Jehovah; 
for  He  is  the  health  of  their  countenance  and  their  God." 
This  Capt.  Henry  Dwight  was  brother  of  Nathaniel  Dwight, 
who  lived  on  Market  street,  father  of  Col.  Timothy  Dwight. 
The  second  daughter  of  Caj^t.  Joseph  Hawley,  Dorothy,  mar- 
ried, 1716,  Rev.  Samuel  Cheney,  the  first  minister  of  Brook- 
field. 

It  is  remarkable  that  of  the  five  Hawleys  known  in  North- 
ampton history  for  over  one  hundred  years,  viz. :  Capt.  Jo- 
seph, his  two  sons,  Joseph  and  Ebenezer,  and  two  grandsons, 
Major  Joseph  and  Capt.  Elisha,  their  wives  survived  them, 
in  each  instance,  several  years.  Lydia  Hawley,  the  first, 
outlived  her  husband  twenty-one  years,  1711-32.  Rebecca 
Hawley,  the  second,  survived  hers  thirty-one  years,  1735-66. 
Ebenezer's  widow  lived  after  his  decease  thirty  years,  1751- 
81.  Major  Josej)h's  widow  retained  the  homestead  after  his 
death  some  eighteen  years,  1788-1806.  Elizabeth  Hawley, 
Capt.  Elisha's  widow,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Lake  George, 


170  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORIC ALS. 

1755,  after  a  few  years  of  widowed  life,  married  Phinehas, 
son  of  Lieut.  Gideon  Lyman.  Connected  with  the  foregoing, 
note  another  item.  For  eighty-eight  years,  between  1711  and 
1806,  there  was  a  widow  Hawley,  at  one  time  two  of  them, 
at  another  three,  living  on  Hawley  street. 

The  second  on  this  homestead,  born  1682,  Lieut.  Joseph 
Hawley,  the  third  child,  received  at  his  father's  decease,  in 
the  will  recorded  that  year,  1711,  **  two-thirds  of  housings, 
lands,  etc.,  of  all  sorts."  Including,  it  would  seem,  the 
home-lot  of  four  acres  on  the  easterly  side  of  Eound  Hill, 
which,  in  1680,  the  town  granted  Joseph  Hawley.  Cannot 
follow  Lieut.  Joseph  Hawley  in  his  military  career  and  ex- 
perience. Married  rather  late  in  life,  1722,  at  the  age  of 
forty,  Rebecca  Stoddard,  the  eleventh  child  of  the  second 
minister,  and  sister  of  the  celebrated  Col.  John  Stoddard, 
*^  one  of  that  great  trio  which  had  John  Pynchon  of  Spring- 
field for  its  first  member  and  Col.  Samuel  Partridge  of  Hat- 
field for  its  second,  and  which  led,"  so  says  Dr.  Holland, 
"  Western  Massachusetts  through  an  entire  century  of  its 
existence."  This  marriage,  uniting  the  two  families,  the 
Hawleys  and  the  Stoddards,  gave  to  Northampton  and  the 
struggling  colonies  one  of  the  ablest  advocates  of  civil  free- 
dom, previous  to  the  revolution,  whose  influence  in  hasten- 
ing that  event  was  second  to  no  other  person,  viz. :  Major 
Joseph  Hawley,  the  last  of  that  race  in  the  town,  into  whose 
hands  came  ultimately  the  estate  of  his  ancestors,  the  prop- 
erty of  his  uncle  Ebenezer  and  his  brother  Capt.  Elisha. 
References  having  been  made  to  him  in  previous  sketches,  a 
few  items  only  will  be  introduced.  Born  on  Hawley  street, 
1724,  the  oldest  child  of  the  family,  five  years  before  the 
death  of  his  grandfather  Stoddard,  he  graduated  at  eighteen, 
1742,  from  Yale,  one  year  younger  than  the  first  Joseph  when 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  171 

he  came  from  Harvard  and  took  charge  of  the  grammar 
school.  Commenced  the  study  of  divinity  probably  with  his 
cousin,  President  Edwards,  then  minister  of  the  town.  Two 
others,  Bellamy  and  Hopkins,  about  the  same  time,  under 
the  same  teacher,  pursued  the  same  study,  all  three  gradu- 
ates of  Yale.  Though  young  Hawley  never  settled  in  the 
ministry,  yet,  for  several  years  making  successful  trial  of  his 
abilities,  this  seems  to  have  been  his  intention.  In  the  pro- 
vincial army  he  officiated  as  chaplain,  being  at  the  siege  of 
Louisburg.  It  has  been  suggested  that  his  health,  constitu- 
tionally subject  to  depression  of  spirits,  was  inadequate  to 
the  constancy  and  pressure  of  ministerial  work.  His  career 
as  a  lawyer,  so  remarkable,  dates  from  about  1749.  For  the 
next  twenty-five  years,  1749-74,  very  extensive  his  practice, 
first  in  Hampshire  county,  and  after  the  division,  in  both 
Hampshire  and  Berkshire.  Out  of  these  counties,  especially 
in  Worcester,  he  seldom  practiced.  It  is  supposed  that  in 
point  of  legal  ability,  in  the  penetration,  weight  and  force  of 
his  addresses  at  the  bar  on  important  cases,  only  one  stood 
as  an  equal.  Col.  Worthington  of  Springfield.  Known  to  be 
strictly  conscientious,  to  entertain  a  deep  abhorrence  of  what- 
ever savored  of  deceit,  cautious  not  to  commit  himself  to  an 
unworthy  cause,  clear,  convincing,  straightforward,  powerful 
as  a  reasoner,  meeting  every  case  and  point  with  the  utmost 
fairness,  no  wonder  his  opinions  and  speeches  carried  such 
weight  with  juries.  His  own  townsman,  a  much  younger 
man,  equally  celebrated  in  another  sphere.  President  Dwight; 
accustomed  to  hear  Hawley  in  his  palmiest  days,  says:  "Many 
men  have  spoken  with  more  elegance  and  grace.  I  have  never 
heard  one  speak  with  more  force.  His  mind,  like  his  elo- 
quence, was  grave,  austere,  powerful."  Among  the  number 
of  his  pupils.  Gov.  Caleb  Strong,  as  a  lawyer   and   a   states- 


172  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

man,  reached  probably  as  high  a  point  of  distinction  as  the 
teacher  himself.  "  One  called  to  practice  in  all  the  counties 
of  the  state,  remarked  more  than  once  that  he  found  no  man 
he  so  much  feared  as  closing  counsel  as  Caleb  Strong."  An 
incident  of  Major  Hawley's  patriotic  pride,  worthy  of  a  place 
in  this  connection,  comes  out  in  an  interview  between  him 
and  Mr.  Strong,  soon  after  the  two,  as  representatives,  had 
returned  from  the  General  Court.  In  a  desponding  mood, 
expressing  doubt  as  to  success  in  the  revolutionary  struggle, 
Hawley  added,  "  We  shall  both  be  hung,"  viz. :  for  their 
sentiments  and  speeches  in  the  legislature  and  elsewhere. 
We  shall  both  be  hung.  Strong  replied  in  a  way  calculated 
to  touch  the  pride  of  his  colleague.  ^'No,  Major  Hawley, 
probably  not  more  than  forty  will  be  hung — we  shall  escape." 
Hawley  aroused,  replied  in  his  peculiarly  emphatic  way,  *^I 
will  have  you  to  know  that  I  am  one  of  the  first  three." 
The  next  day  he  made  a  strong  whig  speech  before  the  peo- 
ple of  the  town.  But  enough.  After  1774,  he  discontinued 
practice,  but  occasionally  presided  in  the  Court  of  Sessions  as 
the  oldest  magistrate  in  the  county.  He  died  at  the  home- 
stead in  Hawley  street  in  March,  1788,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
four.  His  wife,  Mercy  Hawley,  survived  him  on  the  place 
eighteen  years. 

Major  Hawley's  law  library,  a  part  of  it  purchased  of  Gen. 
Phinehas  Lyman  of  Suffield,  containing  a  valuable  collection 
of  ancient  English  authors,  was  mostly  destroyed  by  fire  about 
1820  or  1822.  A  few  quotations  from  his  will,  made,  it 
would  seem,  at  different  times,  contain  items  of  interest. 
Before  doing  so,  mention  may  be  made  of  his  princely  school 
donation  to  the  town,  valued  at  about  nine  hundred  pounds, 
in  land,  not  including  the  house.  Passing  to  the  will,  ''  to 
the  Rev.  John  Hooker,  viz.:    in  1755,  he  gives  his  folio  vol- 


ANCIEJTT    KORTHAMPTOK    HOMESTEADS.  173 

umes  of  Dr.  Owen's  Works,  two  folio  volumes  of  Howes' 
Works,  a  volume  of  Dr.  Bates  and  Bishop  Usher's  Works. 
To  his  most  faithful  and  generous  friend,  Capt.  Samuel 
Clarke,  all  his  wearing  apparel  of  every  sort,  including  his 
sword  and  sword  belt,  which  was  his  brother  Elisha's,  also  a 
volume  of  Prideaux  Connections  in  token  of  and  most  grate- 
ful acknowledgement  of  the  hearty  friendship  which  has  long 
subsisted  between  us,  and  the  very  particular  obligations  I  am 
under  to  him  for  his  faithful,  most  friendly,  generous  and 
unwearied  care  and  kindness  to  me  and  my  family  under  the 
singular  difficulties  and  troubles  which  I  have  from  time  to 
time  been  in."  Probably  referring  to  that  habit  or  tendency 
which  at  times  characterized  him  of  great  mental  depression. 
The  above  Samuel  Clarke,  a  native  of  Windsor,  born  1721, 
by  trade  a  saddle  and  harness  maker,  moved  first  to  Hatfield, 
1741,  then  to  Northampton,  where  he  married,  about  1748, 
Eunice  Lyman,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Lyman.  Lived  on 
the  corner  of  Bridge  and  Hawley  streets;  nine  children  there 
born.  The  place  continued  in  that  line  over  seventy  years; 
now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Washburn. 

Continuing  to  quote  from  the  will:  **  Gives  to  the  town  a 
way  upon  my  land  which  I  purchased  of  Mr.  Joseph  Allen, 
being  part  of  the  home-lot  which  was  Thomas  Allen's,  de- 
ceased, running  from  King  street  to  Blackpole,  upon  condi- 
tion that  the  town  shall  continue  the  town  way,  and  com- 
mon upon  which  I  now  dwell,  to  wit,  from  the  south  end  of 
the  barn  which  was  my  uncle  Ebenezer's,  to  the  northwest 
corner  of  Joseph  Clarke's  home-lot,  unreduced,  unstraight- 
ened,  and  of  the  full  extent  and  breadth."  Also,  he  made 
large  bequests  to  Joseph  Clarke,  expressing  the  hope  that  he 
would  ^' prove  worthy,  honest,  prudent,    and  a  public-spirited 

man,  and  do   good   therewith   in   his   day."     Joseph    Clarke 
21 


174  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

here  named,  the  oldest  of  the  preceding  Capt.  Samuers  nine 
children,  born  1749,  was  adopted  and  educated  by  Major 
Joseph  Hawley,  married  Anna  Barnard  about  1775,  by  whom 
he  had  one  child,  a  daughter;  the  mother  died  at  its  birth. 
After  living  a  widower  twelve  years,  viz. :  on  the  homestead 
at  the  lower  end  of  Pleasant  street  on  the  left,  he  married 
Lydia  Cook,  daughter  of  Capt.  Josej^h,  by  whom  he  had  six 
children.  Anna  Laura  Clarke,  who  died  unmarried,  1861, 
aged  seventy- three;  Elizabeth  Owen,  who  died  1863,  wife  of 
Samuel  Shaw,  M.  D.,  of  Plainfield;  Frederick  W.  Clark,  on 
Pleasant  street,  nearly  opposite  his  father's.  Also,  other  chil- 
dren, who  deceased  many  years  ago. 

The  homestead  of  Major  Joseph  Hawley  continued  in  the 
family  through  three  generations,  almost  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years. 

Homestead  number  fifty-five.  Lieut.  William  Clark,  Elm 
street,  ancestor  of  the  numerous  Clark  race.  If  the  descend- 
ants of  this  puritan,  and  of  his  son,  the  first  Dea.  John 
Clark,  receive  as  much  enjoyment  in  perusing  the  following, 
associated  with  the  old  homestead,  as  the  writer  has  in  as- 
certaining and  arranging  the  details,  he  will  feel  paid  for  his 
toil.  When  about  twenty-one,  1630,  catching  the  spirit  of 
religious  liberty  which  then  animated  so  many,  he  left  his 
native  shores  with  the  Dorchester  settlers.  With  the  same 
company,  in  the  ship  the  Mary  and  the  John,  sailed  the  an- 
cestor of  Gen.  Grant.  For  nearly  thirty  years,  1630-59,  he 
continued  at  Dorchester,  assisting  in  laying  enduring  founda- 
tions, in  developing  and  strengthening  the  affairs  of  that  in- 
fant settlement.  Invited  by  Rev.  Eleazar  Mather,  of  North- 
ampton, whose  father,  Richard  Mather,  preached  in  Dorches- 
ter, he  then  changed  his  residence  from  the  eastern  to  the 
western  part   of  the   state.      How   about   the   journey  across 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  175 

the  intervening  wilderness,  from  one  extremity  to  the  other, 
common  roads  and  comfortable  or  common  vehicles  being 
then  unknown?  Let  another  answer.  "He  moved  his  fam- 
ily to  Northampton  in  1659.  His  wife  rode  on  horseback, 
with  two  baskets,  called  panniers,  slung  across  the  horse, 
carrying  one  boy  in  each  basket,  and  one  in  her  lap,  her 
husband,  fifty  years  old,  proceeding  on  foot."  Two  others, 
with  their  families,  shared  in  the  dangers  of  the  enterprise, 
Henry  Woodward  and  Henry  Curtiff,  the  former  one  of  the 
early  pillars  of  the  Northampton  church,  ancestor  of  the  late 
Samuel  Woodward,  M.  D. ;  the  latter  probably  the  same  as 
Henry  Curtiss,  who  deceased  1661.  The  perils  surmounted, 
the  journey  completed,  the  committee  apjDointed  to  apportion 
the  land  to  the  Dorchester  men,  made  the  allotment  June 
1st,  1659.  The  record  says,  to  William  Clark  twelve  acres, 
viz. :  on  the  west  side  of  what  is  now  Elm  street,  bordering 
on  Mill  river,  including  on  the  southeast  the  Judge  Dewey 
or  President  Seelye  place,  and  northwest  where  Prof.  Story 
lives.  Such  the  boundaries,  the  number  of  acres,  the  date 
June  1st,  1659,  the  person,  to  William  Clark.  Just  here  let 
it  be  emphasized  that  from  the  foregoing  date  down  through 
the  long  interval  of  over  two  hundred  and  twenty  years, 
some  part  of  these  twelve  acres  has  continued  in  possession 
of  one  or  more  of  Lieut.  William's  descendants.  But  not  to 
dwell. 

Till  1659,  the  time  of  the  allotment,  it  is  understood  that 
no  road  existed  from  the  center,  west;  no  settler  had  pushed 
out  in  that  direction.  Expansion,  under  the  circumstances, 
seemed  imprudent.  In  some  of  the  Clark  families  there  is  a 
tradition  that  on  receiving  the  twelve  acres,  Lieut.  William 
erected  a  log  edifice  which  he  occupied  over  twenty  years, 
1659-81,  till  the  time  of  the  fire.      Through  the  carelessness 


176  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

of  a  negro  servant,  who  caught  up  a  firebrand  and  went 
into  some  of  the  apartments  waving  and  swinging  the  same, 
doing  so  maliciously,  as  appeared  at  his  trial  in  Boston,  the 
building  ignited  and  was  soon  in  flames.  Kespecting  Lieut. 
William's  next  house,  the  writer  accepts  the  statement  of 
Jared  Clark,  born  1776,  the  father  of  Dea.  Jared.  He  al- 
ways spoke  of  the  Elihu  Clark  house,  which  stood  where 
Judge  Dewey  built,  removed  by  him  in  1826,  as  the  one  next 
reared  after  the  burning  of  the  log  structure.  Here  he  spent 
his  last  years,  here  his  wife  deceased  in  1688,  and  himself 
two  years  later,  1690.  Here  some  of  the  family  continued 
probably  till  the  marriage,  1712,  of  his  grandson,  Lieut. 
Ebenezer  Clark,  who  there  lived  and  died,  1781,  in  his  ninety- 
ninth  year,  followed  by  the  Elihu  Clark  line.  See  home- 
stead number  twenty-one.  A  few  items  may  fitly  be  intro- 
duced respecting  Lieut.  William's  Northampton  history. 
Chosen  selectman  in  1660,  the  year  after  his  coming,  contin- 
ued in  the  same  position  almost  constantly  for  the  next 
twenty  years,  doing  much  the  same  work  for  the  settlement 
he  had  previously  done  in  Dorchester.  Dismissed  from  the 
Dorchester  church  in  1661,  united  with  the  new  organization 
being  one  of  the  foundation  men,  so  called,  or  seven  pillars 
of  the  Northampton  church.  The  same  year,  1661,  at  the 
organization  of  a  military  company  of  sixty  men,  chosen 
lieutenant,  being  the  highest  military  officer  then  in  the  com- 
munity; from  that  date  ever  after,  received  the  distinguish- 
ing title  of  Lieut.  Clark.  Held  various  judicial  offices. 
The  Court  of  Sessions  appointed  him  and  two  others,  Capt. 
Aaron  Cook  and  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy,  a  commission  to  ''  end 
small  causes."  Also  served  as  one  of  the  Associate  Justices 
for  Hampshire  County.  Down  to  near  the  close  of  his 
Northampton  history,  when  upwards  of  fourscore,  public  ser- 
vice and  public  usefulness  characterized  the  entire  period. 


ANCIENT    NORTH  ASIPTON    HOMESTEADS.  177 

Marking  an  important  event  comes  the  division  of  the 
memorable  twelve  acres  in  the  year  1683,  between  his  two 
sons,  John  and  Samuel,  six  acres  to  each.  He  gave  to  John 
the  southerly  part,  and  to  Samuel  the  northerly.  It  will 
suffice  to  say  respecting  Samuel,  a  public  man  in  his  day, 
that  he  and  Samuel,  Jr.,  Phinehas  and  other  descendants, 
Caleb  and  Benjamin,  occupied  the  northerly  division  of  six 
acres  from  1683  down  to  near  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century,  considerably  over  one  hundred  years. 

But  returning  to  John,  on  the  southerly  side,  one  of  the 
two  boys  snugly  placed  in  the  pannier  on  the  removal  to 
Northampton,  married,  1677,  Rebecca  Cooper,  of  Spring- 
field, who  died  the  next  year,  leaving  one  child.  Mar- 
ried as  his  second  wife,  1679,  Mary  Strong,  thirteenth 
child  of  Elder  John  Strong.  The  question  arises,  what 
house  did  he  occupy  at  the  time  of  his  marriage?  In  the 
absence  of  anything  positive,  probably  the  one  where  three 
generations  of  his  descendants  lived,  the  same  known  about 
1820  and  later,  as  the  Upham  house,  standing  about  half 
way  between  President  Seelye's  and  Mr.  Maltby's.  At  the 
time  of  the  division,  1683,  by  his  second  marriage  he  was 
the  father  of  six  children.  During  the  next  fourteen  years 
the  number  rose  to  eleven — six  sons  and  five  daughters. 
As  to  longevity  and  rapid  increase  the  most  remarbable 
family  probably  ever  reared  in  the  town.  The  six  sons,  as 
will  appear  by-and-by,  contained  the  germs  of  an  aston- 
ishing number  of  Clarks.  John,  the  father,  chosen  deacon 
1691,  variously  styled  deacon  and  sergeant,  an  estimable, 
much  respected,  useful  man,  constantly  in  public  service 
as  selectman  or  otherwise,  went  as  representative  to  Boston 
fourteen  times.  His  devotion  to  public  duties  shortened 
his  days.      Gov.    Strong  says:    He   died   from  fatigue   and  a 


178  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORIC ALS. 

cold  taken  in  a  violent  snow  storm  on  returning  from 
Boston,  viz.:  in  1704,  a  trying  year  to  such  settlements 
as  Deerfield,  Hatfield,  Northampton.  He  died  away  from 
home,  at  Windsor,  Ct.,  in  the  month  of  September,  the 
blow  being  very  heavy  to  his  family,  to  the  church,  and 
to  the  entire  community;  all  his  children  at  the  time  un- 
married. Within  the  next  two  years,  1704-5,  three  settled 
in  families  of  their  own;  two  more  in  the  year  1710,  two 
in  1712,  and  so  on,  with  one  exception,  to  the  last  and 
youngest,  married  in  1719,  living  with  his  widowed  mother, 
who  survived  her  husband  on  the  homestead  thirty-four 
years,  1704-38.  Four  brothers,  Ebenezer,  Increase,  Noah, 
Josiah,  lived  almost  within  speaking  distance  of  each  other. 
Near  at  hand  were  two  sisters  and  their  families.  On 
South  street  the  two  remaining  brothers,  the  second  Dea. 
John  Clark  and  Nathaniel  Clark.  Worthy  of  special  men- 
tion is  the  fact  that  at  the  foregoing  date,  1738,  when 
this  venerable  mother  deceased,  being  in  her  eighty-fifth 
year,  her  ten  married  children  with  their  companions  were 
living,  all  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  old  home;  not 
only  so,  but  the  number  of  her  grandchildren  amounted  to 
eighty-three,  far  the  larger  part  living  in  the  same  com- 
munity. 

Descending  to  the  third  from  Lieut  William  Clark,  the 
youngest  of  Dea.  John's  eleven,  viz.:  Josiah  Clark,  usually 
called  Ensign  Josiah,  born  1697,  a  lad  of  seven  when  his 
father  deceased,  too  young  fully  to  appreciate  the  loss.  At 
twenty- two,  1719,  married  Thankful  Sheldon,  daughter  of 
Isaac  Sheldon,  on  King  street.  Another  daughter,  Mary 
Sheldon,  married  Increase  Clark,  brother  of  Josiah;  one 
lived  on  one  side  of  the  street,  the  other  nearly  opposite, 
the  two  families    being    neighbors    sixty-six    years.      Passing 


AKCIEKT    NORTHAMPTOK    HOMESTEADS.  179 

over  some  fifty  years  of  this  period,  toward  the  latter  part 
of  Josiah's  history,  and  especially  at  the  close,  some  items 
in  the  way  of  figures  occur  that  not  only  seem  remarkable 
but  one  of  them  especially  appears  incredible,  nevertheless 
strictly  true.  When  completing  his  seventieth  year,  viz.: 
in  1767,  his  five  brothers,  older  than  himself,  with  their 
wives,  were  still  among  the  living.  Gov.  Strong,  acquainted 
with  each  one  of  them,  says:  ^'They  were  all  respectable 
men  in  good  circumstances."  Probably  all  members  of  the 
church.  All  lived  to  be  upwards  of  eighty,  three  over 
ninety,  and  one  nearly  ninety-nine.  But  still  more  remarka- 
ble the  remaining  item.  When  at  the  age  of  ninety-two, 
Ensign  Josiah  deceased  in  1789,  there  were  known  to  have 
descended  from  the  six  brothers  1,158  children,  grandchildren 
and  great-grandchildren,  of  whom  over  925  were  then  living. 
Good  authority  for  the  foregoing,  viz.:  Timothy  Dwight,  a 
native  of  the  town,  president  of  Yale  College,  whose  mother 
in  1789  lived  on  King  street. 

Successor  of  Josiah  Clark,  the  second  of  his  children,  of 
the  fourth  generation,  comes  the  name  of  Enoch  Clark,  born 
1726,  a  lieutenant,  an  innkeeper,  the  date  of  his  opening  a 
public  house  not  known,  only  the  fact.  Survived  his  father 
eleven  years,  deceased  1800,  when  seventy-four;  followed  by 
his  son,  Erastus  Clark,  also  an  innkeeper,  who,  in  1807,  sold 
these  ancient  premises  to  Major  Erastus  Lyman  and  went 
West,  where  he  lived  into  the  middle  of  this  century.  This 
-  terminated  the  possession  in  that  direct  line  of  the  home- 
stead that  remained  after  Ebenezer's  marriage.  Reckoning 
from  the  allotment  to  Lieut.  William  Clark,  having  been  in 
the  family  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  1659-1807. 

As  to  the  original  twelve  acres  and  the  descendants  of  the 
two   brothers,    John  and   Samuel,    it   may   be   interesting   to 


180  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

observe  that  while  none  of  Samuel's  line,  so  far  as  positively 
known,  continue  there  as  owners,  two  homesteads  on  that 
soil  still  remain  held  by  those  in  the  line  of  John  Clark  viz. : 
the  Isaac  Edwards  Clark  place,  occupied  by  Mr.  Maltby, 
bought  in  1846  of  Judge  Dewey  by  Isaac  Clark,  the  drug- 
gist; the  house  removed  to  its  present  site  in  1826,  being 
originally  the  west  end  or  L  part  of  the  mansion  of  Erastus, 
Enoch,  Josiah,  and  the  first  Dea.  John.  The  second  home- 
stead, viz.:  the  Dea.  Luther  Clark  place  formerly,  of  four 
acres,  bordering  on  Mill  river,  bought  by  him  in  1812,  now 
owned  by  his  grandsons,  James  Dickson  Clark  and  Charles 
H.  Clark,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  of  the  seventh  generation 
from  Lieut.  William.  A  single  item  more.  The  old  house, 
the  original  home  of  so  many  in  the  line  of  Dea.  John,  too 
old  to  be  removed,  was  taken  down  in  1826,  having  stood,  it 
may  be,  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years. 

Homestead  number  fifty-six.  Dea.  Josiah  Clark,  South 
street,  succeeded  by  his  son  Lemuel;  then  by  the  Ferrys — 
Hiram  the  father,  Sydenham  the  son,  and  Henry  N.,  grand- 
son, five  generations.  The  time  and  place  of  Dea.  Josiah's 
birth,  viz. :  1721,  on  Elm  street,  in  the  house  of  his  father. 
Ensign  Josiah.  See  homestead  number  fifty-five.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-three,  married  Mary  Baker,  the  tenth  child  of 
Capt.  John  Baker,  one  of  the  most  influential  men  in  the 
town,  and  followed  his  two  uncles,  John  and  Nathaniel,  into 
South  street,  1744.  Josiah  Clark,  Sr.,  purchased  for  his  son 
the  Preserved  Clapp  place,  not  the  first  Preserved,  an  elder 
of  the  church,  who  lived  on  Pleasant  street,  but  the  second, 
who  settled  on  South  street.  In  a  deed  given  1747,  Josiah 
Clark,  Sr.,  says,  "In  consideration  of  love  and  good  will  I 
give  to  my  eldest  son,  Josiah  Clark,  Jr.,"  then  follows  a  de- 
scription of  the  property  agreeing  with  the  writing  given  by 


AKCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  181 

Capt.  Preserved  Clapp,  in  1744.  Seven  years  from  the  time 
of  his  marriage  the  record  says,  "the  wife  and  daughter  of 
Josiah  Clark,  Jr.,  died  Aug.  21st,  1751."  The  church  chose 
him  deacon  to  supply  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death 
of  Dea.  Ebenezer  Pomeroy,  the  same  year,  1774.  Officiated 
in  this  capacity  thirty-four  years.  Made  his  will  1791. 
Gave  places  to  his  two  sons,  Isaac  and  Lemuel.  The  former 
was  on  Welsh  End,  or  West  street,  opposite  the  well-known 
Capt.  Samuel  Parsons'  place.  There  Isaac  Clark,  Jr.,  the 
druggist,  was  born,  1798.  Lemuel  Clark  received  his  father's 
estate;  born  1764,  married,  1794,  Lucretia  Graves.  Several 
of  their  children  died  in  early  childhood;  Sydenham  and 
Col.  Edwin  deceased  when  young  men.  Lucretia,  born  1805, 
married,  1828,  Hiram  Ferry.  She  survived  her  father,  1837- 
55,  eighteen  years,  and  lived  on  the  place  fifty  years.  Hi- 
ram Ferry,  the  third  on  the  homestead,  deceased  at  the  age 
of  sixty,  viz. :  in  the  year  1860.  His  son,  Sydenham,  owner 
and  occupant,  has  always  resided  there.  Henry  N.  Ferry 
and  family  also  live  on  the  place,  being  of  the  fifth  and 
sixth  generations.  A  relic,  preserved  and  valued  by  the 
Ferrys,  a  kind  of  heirloom  in  the  family,  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation,  first  used  in  Elm  street,  next  in 
South  street,  deserves  to  be  mentioned,  viz. :  a  cradle  in 
which  Dea.  Josiah  Clark  was  rocked  when  a  babe,  viz.:  in 
1721,  in  which  others  of  that  line  have  been  rocked.  The 
age  of  the  cradle,  probably  the  oldest  in  the  community, 
about  one  hundred  and  sixty  years.  The  homestead  of  Dea. 
Josiah  Clark  has  continued  in  that  family,  1744-1881,  one 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  years. 

Before    passing     to    the     next,    some     may    value     a     few 
words     respecting     Isaac     Clark,    Sr.,     brother     of     Lemuel. 

Born    1760,    married,    1784,    Nancy    Edwards,     daughter    of 
22 


182  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Ebenezer  Edwards.  After  living  till  about  the  beginning 
of  this  century  at  Welsh  End,  moved  to  Eoberts  Meadow 
and  occupied  the  Knob  farm,  so  called,  till  1809,  then 
moved  to  South  street.  The  house  stood  near  Lemuel's, 
where  he  died  in  1831,  succeeded  by  Hon.  Chauncey. 
Whole  number  of  Isaac's  children,  ten.  The  oldest.  Rev. 
Josiah  Clark,  settled  in  the  ministry  at  Rutland,  father 
of  the  late  Prof.  Josiah  Clark,  LL.D.,  of  Northampton. 
Two  of  the  ten  taught  many  years  in  Baltimore.  Two  were 
merchants,  Melzar  Clark  of  Ohio,  and  Isaac  Clark,  Jr.,  of 
Northampton,  father  of  Isaac  Edwards  Clarke,  connected 
with  the  Bureau  of  Education,  Washington.  One  of  the 
ten,  Hon.  Chauncey  Clark,  married  Martha  Starkweather, 
remained  on  the  place,  for  several  years  a  member  of  the 
State  Legislature,  twice  a  State  Senator,  appointed  to  office 
in  the  custom  house,  Boston,  by  Hon.  Geo.  Bancroft.  Con- 
tinued there  for  many  years  during  various  administrations. 
On  his  final  return  from  Boston,  removed  the  old  house 
about  1850,  and  built  a  new  one.  He  left  no  children.  He 
and  his  wife  deceased  1869.  Present  owner  and  occupant  of 
the  place,  James  Ellsworth,  who  purchased  it  in  the  spring 
of  1870.  The  last  of  the  ten,  Mrs.  Eli  Loveland,  lately 
deceased  at  Marion,  Alabama,  where  the  family  lived  over 
forty  years. 

Homestead  number  fifty-seven.  Preserved  Bartlett,  South 
street.  The  original  Bartlett  family  came  with  the  first  set- 
tlers. Robert  Bartlett,  who  located  at  the  lower  end  of 
Pleasant  street,  served  as  selectman  in  1657  and  1663.  One 
of  the  same  name,  probably  the  settler  himself,  was  killed, 
1675,  at  the  memorable  assault  by  the  Indians.  His  widow 
deceased  the  next  year.  Samuel  Bartlett,  son  of  Robert, 
first  mentioned  as  selectman  in  1685,    received    permission  in 


AKCIENT    NORTHAMPTOJT    HOMESTEADS.  183 

1686  to  erect  a  grist-mill  at  the  falls  of  the  Manhan  River. 
More  about  this  mill  subsequently.  This  Samuel  had  several 
sons,  viz.:  Samuel,  Jr.,  Ebenezer,  the  ancestor  of  the  cele- 
brated Phebe  Bartlett,  converted  at  the  age  of  four,  a  chris- 
tian for  eighty  years,  David,  Joseph,  and  others.  Samuel, 
Sr.,  and  Samuel,  Jr.,  died  near  the  same  time,  1711  and 
1712.  Pleasant  street  continued  for  a  long  time  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Bartletts.  Hence  its  earliest  name,  Bartlett 
street.  The  ancient  Bartlett  homestead  there  descended  from 
one  to  another  of  that  race  for  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  years,  the  exact  time  of  its  discontinuance  and 
the  last  of  the  name  associated  with  it,  not  ascertained. 
Phebe  Bartlett's  parents,  viz. :  William  B.  and  Abigail  Ly- 
man, mentioned  in  President  Edwards'  volume  of  Surprising 
Conversions,  probably  lived  on  Pleasant  street. 

Pass  to  the  grist-mill  of  Samuel.  Six  years  prior  to  his 
decease,  in  1705,  it  went  into  the  hands  of  his  son,  Joseph. 
Not  till  a  later  date,  1720,  did  he  leave  the  vicinity  of  the 
old  homestead  and  build  as  his  future  home  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  mill.  In  precinct  number  two,  afterwards  East- 
hampton,  Joseph  Bartlett's  name  became  prominent.  At  his 
death,  1755,  leaving  no  children,  the  mill  went  to  a  nephew, 
who  had  lived  with  him  and  helped  carry  it  on.  This 
nephew,  Jonathan  Clapp,  bom  on  South  street,  son  of  Capt. 
Roger,  not  only  carried  on  the  mill  and  kept  a  public  house 
and  rose  to  the  rank  of  major,  but  reared  a  numerous  fami- 
ly and  became  ancestor  of  a  large  number  of  Aliens,  Ly- 
mans,  and  other  races.  As  at  Northampton  and  Easthamp- 
ton,  so  afterwards  at  Westhampton  the  Bartletts  were  among 
the  first  settlers.  At  the  latter  place  William  Bartlett 
erected  the  standard  of  home  in  those  wilds  as  early  as  1768, 
put  up  the  first  frame  house,  chosen   one    of  the    first    three 


184  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

selectmen,  1778,  paid  the  largest  tax,  owning  nearly  one- 
fourth  of  the  entire  valuation,  and  therefore  styled  the  mil- 
lionaire of  the  settlement.  Several  others  of  this  name  set- 
tled at  Westhampton,  viz.:  Elihu,  Christoi^her,  ^oah,  Cor- 
nelius, Phinehas.  One  early  took  the  Western  fever  and 
moved  west.  Another  went  north  and  located  at  Brandon, 
Vt.  Two  found  a  home  at  West  Farms,  viz. :  Elijah  and 
Moses,  both  members  of  the  First  Church;  Elijah  united  in 
1784,  and  Moses  in  1792. 

Having  disappeared  from  Pleasant  street,  the  next  Bartlett 
homestead  connecting  the  ancient  past  with  the  present,  arose 
on  South  street.  Preserved  Bartlett,  born  1772,  probably  one 
of  the  last  of  the  many  Bartlett  children  who  first  saw  the 
light  on  Pleasant  street,  built  in  1792,  on  South  street,  that 
being  his  home  fifty-three  years,  1792-1845.  Several  of  his 
children  did  not  survive  the  perils  and  the  period  of  infancy. 
One  still  lives  in  the  vicinity  of  the  old  homestead.  Pre- 
served Bartlett  retained  his  connection  with  the  large  choir 
of  the  First  Church  beyond  middle  life,  served  as  tythingman 
and  also,  in  1816,  as  one  of  the  selectmen.  At  his  decease, 
in  1845,  aged  seventy-five,  the  homestead  passed  into  the 
possession  of  his  youngest  son,  Samuel  L.  Bartlett,  who  there 
survived  his  father  eleven  years,  1856.  Samuel's  only  son 
then  succeeded  to  the  ownership,  Alvah  L.  Bartlett,  the  pres- 
occupant.  Thus  the  Preserved  Bartlett  homestead,  held  by 
three  generations  into  the  fourth,  has  remained  in  that  fam- 
ily eighty-nine  years. 

Homestead  number  fifty-eight.  William  Butler,  Hawley 
street.  Born  in  Connecticut,  1763.  By  trade  a  printer, 
which  he  acquired  at  Hartford,  where  he  spent  his  earliest 
years  till  manhood.  The  first  of  the  three  Butlers  who  set- 
tled and  subsequently  lived  in    Northampton.      Twenty-three, 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  185 

viz.:  1786,  when  he  came.  Married,  about  the  year  1790, 
Huldah  Brown,  daughter  of  Col.  John,  a  distinguished  offi- 
cer in  the  revohition,  born  at  Sandisfield,  Berkshire  county, 
and  in  his  later  life  a  citizen  of  Pittsfield.  She  has  been 
described  as  a  lady  of  the  old  school,  after  the  pattern,  if 
the  expression  may  be  used,  of  the  celebrated  Madam  Dwight, 
intelligent,  of  fine  social  qualities,  genial,  sympathizing, 
kind,  an  earnest  christian.  Both  ladies  originated  in  Berk- 
shire county,  their  fathers  among  the  leading  men  of  their 
times;  both  came  to  Northampton  previous  to  the  present 
century,  where  they  lived  over  threescore  years.  Both  had 
large  families  and  survived  their  husbands  many  years. 
Mrs.  Butler  was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  perhaps  more. 
Three  deceased  in  childhood.  At  least  six  of  the  nine  were 
daughters,  most  of  whom  survive.  A  son  having  his  father's 
name  has  long  lived  in  Baltimore.  One  daughter  has  been 
forty  years  a  resident  in  Boston,  the  wife  of  Dea.  Hoyt, 
whose  depository  of  Sabbath-school  literature  is  well  known. 
Another,  the  mother  of  the  present  Christopher  Clarke, 
deceased   many  years   ago. 

The  date  of  William  Butler's  settlement  here,  1786, 
marks  a  new  era,  an  onward  movement  in  the  enterprise 
of  the  town,  and  the  vicinity  around,  viz. :  the  establish- 
ment, under  his  supervision,  of  a  town  and  county  paper, 
the  venerable  Hampshire  Gazette,  for  five  years  a  nonage- 
narian. Only  eight  papers  in  the  United  States  it  is  said, 
precede  it  in  age,  and  in  the  old  Bay  State  only  two, 
the  Gazette  of  Salem,  and  the  Spy  of  Worcester.  When 
first  issued,  its  diminutive,  humble  appearance  showed  a  day 
of  small  things,  only  fourteen  by  eighteen  inches,  strik- 
ingly in  contrast  with  its  present  generous  proportions. 
Editorial  matter  scarce,  home  and  county   news   meagre   and 


186  AKTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

limited,  advertisements  few,  sometimes  reduced  to  a  single 
one,  marriage  announcements  in  the  earlier  years  wanting. 
The  idea  and  the  make  up  of  a  newspaper  then  essentially 
unlike  the  present  style.  Introduce  a  similar  sheet  now  and 
its  appeal  for  public  patronage  would  hardly  be  heard,  short 
its  existence.  But  though  unpretending  as  the  county  paper 
was  in  its  beginning,  very  valuable  that  weekly  issue  as  the 
precursor  and  quickener  of  enterprise  in  the  region  round. 
Showing  that  the  times  and  the  community  were  undergoing 
a  change,  the  same  building  where  the  paper  was  published 
contained,  under  the  same  owner,  a  job  printing  ofiBce,  a 
book  bindery,  and  a  book  store.  A  little  later,  following  di- 
rectly in  the  wake  of  the  new  movement,  being  a  very  long 
step  in  advance,  came  the  post-office  in  1792,  with  its  week- 
ly mail,  north  and  south  from  Springfield  to  Brattleboro, 
carried  on  horseback.  The  opening  of  the  mail  route  east 
and  west  from  Boston  to  Albany,  through  Northampton,  lay 
in  the  not  far  distant  future.  After  the  post-office,  the  pa- 
per mill,  a  mile  or  more  west  from  the  center,  started  in 
1794,  on  its  important  career,  William  Butler,  proprietor, 
begun  on  a  small  scale,  after  the  pattern  or  scale  of  the  news- 
paper. The  year  1786,  therefore,  when  the  time  honored 
Hampshire  G-azette  first  appeared,  may  properly  be  said  to 
mark  a  new  era  in  the  enterjDrise  of  the  community.  Hav- 
ing conducted  the  paper  not  quite  thirty  years,  1786-1815, 
owing  to  impaired  health,  he  then  sold  the  same  to  William 
W.  Clapp,  who  published  the  first  daily  paper  in  Boston,  for 
thirty  years  proprietor  of  the  Saturday  Evening  Gazette  of 
the  same  city.  Retaining  the  book  store  for  some  years  after 
1815,  William  Butler  resided  in  Northampton;  1786-1831, 
forty-five  years.  Perhaps  the  most  eventful  forty-five  years 
in  respect  to  changes  and  improvements  in  business  and  other- 


AKCIEKT    NORTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  187 

wise,  since  the   first   settlement   of   the   place,    down   to   the 
latter  date  in  1831. 

Two  widowed  daughters,  Mrs.  Huggerford,  Mrs.  Ben- 
jamin, occupy  the  homestead  on  Hawley  street.  It  has 
continued  in  the  family,  in  connection  with  three  gener- 
ations, ninety-one  years.  The  building  used  by  him  where 
the  newsjDaper  was  published,  in  which  his  other  business  was 
carried  on,  standing  originally  a  few  rods  east  of  the  court 
house,  is  now  used  by  Dewey  &  Loomis,  grocers,  on  Pleasant 
street.  The  paper  mill  early  passed  into  the  hands  of  a 
younger  brother,  Daniel  Butler,  who  run  the  same  till  his 
decease  in  1833.  Kespecting  his  family  of  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, much  might  be  said.  Simeon  Butler,  bookseller  and 
publisher,  the  father  of  J.  H.  Butler,  who  continued  the 
business,  also  bank  president;  the  ancestor  of  others  in  the 
book  line  and  in  other  pursuits,  bought  his  homestead  on 
Hawley  street  in  the  year  1800,  which  continues  in  the 
family. 

Homestead  number  fifty-nine.  Joseph  Parsons,  the  law- 
yer, also  the  third  justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas, 
sometimes  styled  the  second  Joseph,  his  father.  Cornet  Jo- 
seph, being  the  first.  When  a  boy  of  eight,  the  family 
left  the  Springfield  settlement  and  joined  that  at  Northampton. 
The  son  continued  an  influential  member  of  the  same  sev- 
enty-four years.  Always  a  man  of  large  business,  public 
and  private.  In  1669,  the  two  families,  the  Strongs  and 
Parsons,  became  united  by  the  marriage  of  Esq.  Joseph, 
then  twenty-two,  to  Elizabeth  Strong,  the  ninth  child  of 
Elder  John.  The  parties  were  spared  to  each  other  in 
this  relation  sixty  years,  1669-1729.  She  survived  him  in 
widowhood  seven  years,  being  in  her  ninetieth  year.  They 
reared    twelve    children.     All    of    them    married,    had    large 


188  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

families,  which  in  their  turn  became  the  representatives  of 
other  families.  Hence  the  Parsons  race  has  numbered  so 
many  in  Northampton  and  the  vicinity.  Esq.  Joseph  had 
from  sixty-five  to  seventy  and  more  grandchildren.  His 
first-born,  the  third  Joseph  Parsons,  graduated  at  Harvard 
College  in  1797,  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen,  in  the  same 
class  with  Anthony  Stoddard,  another  Northampton  youth. 
Both  became  ministers  in  Connecticut.  He,  the  Kev.  Jo- 
seph Parsons,  settled  in  Lebanon,  in  1699,  being  the  first 
minister  there,  showing  himself  just  the  man  to  lay  the 
foundations  in  a  new  settlement  for  a  prosj)erous  future. 
Another  favorable  circumstance.  Several  large  Northamp- 
ton families,  among  the  likeliest  and  best,  worthy  of  be- 
ing transplanted,  early  located  in  Lebanon.  As  the  result, 
that  place  has  had  a  remarkable  history.  Besides  the  fertili- 
ty of  the  soil,  rewarding  the  industry  of  the  people,  provid- 
ing for  their  wants,  much  might  be  said  on  the  point  of 
superior  school  advantages.  The  settlers,  following  the  exam- 
ple of  their  minister,  made  generous  appropriations  of  land 
for  school  purposes.  The  famous  grammar  school  there  started 
in  1740,  and  its  equally  famous  teacher.  Master  Tisdale,  for 
nearly  forty  years,  have  been  extensively  known.  Nine  out 
of  thirteen  of  the  original  States  of  the  Union  have  pat- 
ronized that  school.  No  j^lace  of  its  size  has  furnished  so 
many  for  college  and  the  various  professions.  The  Trumbulls 
of  Connecticut,  father  and  son,  both  governors,  Jeremiah 
Mason,  the  great  lawyer,  described  by  Webster,  Kev.  Dr. 
Lyman  of  Hatfield,  and  a  host  of  others,  were  scholars  of 
Master  Tisdale. 

Of  the  four  sons  of  Rev.  Joseph  Parsons  of  Lebanon, 
three  graduated  and  entered  the  ministry.  The  fourth  died 
in  1725,  while  a  sophomore  at  Harvard.     An    only    daughter 


ANCIENT    KORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  189 

married  a  minister.  One  of  his  grandsons,  also  a  minister, 
the  fourth  Joseph  Parsons,  settled  at  Bradford,  Mass.,  father 
of  the  fifth  Joseph,  minister  of  Brookfield,  1757-71,  father 
also  of  Thomas  Parsons,  who  had  nineteen  children,  proprie- 
tor of   Parsonsfield,  Maine. 

But  passing  on  to  the  ninth  child  of  Esq.  Joseph  Parsons, 
viz. :  Daniel,  who  located  at  Springfield,  as  an  innkeeper, 
born  in  1685,  probably  ranking  in  public  estimation  among 
the  foremost  of  that  influential  family.  It  may  not  be  gen- 
erally known  that  during  the  first  half  of  the  last  century 
and  previously,  only  the  choicest  characters  in  the  commu- 
nity, ""  gentlemen  in  the  technical  sense  the  word  then  had," 
deacons,  officers  in  the  church,  only  such  received  license  to 
be  innholders,  taverners,  common  victualers,  and,  it  may  be 
added,  to  retail  strong  drink.  As  thus  licensed,  may  be 
cited  such  names  as  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy,  Henry  Woodward, 
Cornet  Joseph  Parsons,  and  of  Hatfield,  Capt.  Henry  Dwight, 
and  the  distinguished  Col.  Samuel  Partridge,  all  regarded  as 
first  class  men.  Daniel  Parsons,  therefore,  son  of  Esq.  Jo- 
seph Parsons,  innkeeper  at  Springfield,  stood  probably  second 
as  to  high  moral  worth,  to  none  of  his  six  brothers. 

But  to  speak  of  the  homestead  of  Lawyer  Joseph  Parsons, 
number  fifty-nine.  While  those  of  his  three  sons,  Lieut. 
John  and  Noah,  joining  each  other  originally  on  South  street, 
and  Josiah  on  Bridge  street,  running  west  to  Market,  have 
received  special  attention,  see  number  twenty-seven,  sixteen, 
thirty-four,  uncertainty  as  to  the  precise  location  of  their 
father's,  has  delayed  this  notice.  It  seems  to  have  included  the 
corner  on  which  John  Clarke,  the  banker  and  philanthropist, 
built  and  lived.  It  dates  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  1669, 
bounded  north  and  west  by  highways,  easterly  by  Samuel 
Wright,  Jr.,  and  included  what  over  a    hundred   years   later. 


190  AITTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

went  by  the  name  of  tlie  Tontine,  having  several  owners  and 
a  variety  of  occupants.  On  that  homestead  were  born  most 
of  his  large  family.  Retained  it  twenty-five  years,  1669-94, 
then  sold  to  Mark  Warner,  Sr.  After  an  interval  of  nearly 
twenty  years,  1694-1713,  the  Parsons'  family  again  held  the 
property,  the  occupant,  until  his  decease  in  1744,  being  Capt. 
Ebenezer,  third  son  of  Esq.  Joseph  Parsons,  uncommonly  ac- 
tive in  town  affairs,  for  several  years  one  of  the  selectmen. 
He  and  his  uncle  Ebenezer  Strong,  who  lived  on  the  same 
side  of  Bridge  street,  but  nearer  the  center,  served  on  the 
board  together,  in  the  year  1721.  Capt.  Ebenezer's  wife, 
Mary  Stebbins  of  Springfield,  survived  him  on  the  homestead 
nine  years,  till  1753.  They  had  nine  children.  Simeon,  the 
youngest,  born  in  1730  or  1731,  on  reaching  maturity,  re- 
ceived the  estate,  being  conveyed  to  him  in  1752,  by  his  two 
brothers,  Elihu  and  Benjamin.  Lived  on  it  in  all  about 
seventy-eight  years,  and  had  three  sons,  Warham,  Medad, 
Simeon,  Jr.  Warham  Parsons  occupied  a  part  of  the  homestead 
for  many  years,  the  entrance  to  his  house,  which  stood  in  the 
rear,  being  on  Bridge  street.  The  two  sons  of  Warham, 
Thaddeus  and  Elihu,  moved  to  Skaneateles  about  1797.  In 
his  later  years  he  sold  to  Elisha  Graves  and  followed  them 
to  Western  New  York.  Medad  moved  to  Westhampton. 
Simeon,  Jr.,  followed  his  father  on  the  homestead,  received 
it  from  him  bv  will  in  1809.  The  two  Simeons  deceased 
within  a  few  years  of  each  other;  Simeon,  Sr.  in  1809,  Sim- 
eon, Jr.  about  1813.  That  year  and  later  the  property  was 
held  by  the  heirs  of  the  younger  Simeon.  It  cannot  be 
definitely  stated  when,  what  year,  this  ancient  possession  be- 
came entirely  alienated  from  Esq.  Joseph's  line.  Five  gen- 
erations lived  there  a  little  over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years. 


ANCIENT    NOETHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  191 

Homestead  number  sixty.  The  Sheldon  homestead,  Bridge 
street.  Isaac  Sheldon  the  original  proprietor,  1660.  Accord- 
ing to  tradition,  one  of  the  sixteen  courageous  men  who  came 
to  Northamjiton  in  1654.  A  native  of  Essex,  near  London, 
born  1629,  he  left  his  native  soil  and  sailed  from  Plyjnouth 
early  in  the  Protectorate  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  soon  after  the 
execution  of  Charles  the  First.  The  year  after  his  connec- 
tion with  the  new  settlement,  married  Mary  Woodford, 
daughter  of  Thomas.  The  next  year,  nine  children  were 
born  in  the  community;  among  the  nine  was  his  son  Isaac, 
viz.:  on  the  4th  of  September,  1656.  Chosen  the  same 
year  on  the  board  of  selectmen.  His  homestead  on  King 
street  embraced  the  lot  where  the  large  elms  stand,  first 
owned  by  his  father-in-law,  Woodford,  subsequently  occupied 
by  Jonathan  Edwards,  the  third  minister,  and  latterly  by 
J.  D.  Whitney's  heirs.  It  also  embraced  what  is  known 
as  the  Aaron  Breck  lot.  There  were  born  of  the  same 
parents  that  large  group  of  fifteen  children  to  whom  allu- 
sion  will  soon   be   made. 

Isaac  Sheldon's  estate,  on  Bridge  street,  came  into  his  pos- 
session Feb.  19th,  1660,  in  the  distribution  of  land,  author- 
ized by  vote  of  the  people.  The  assignment  to  him  by  the 
town's  committee,  comprised  thirty-one  acres.  This  he  held 
during  his  life,  1660-1708;  on  it,  in  his  later  years,  he  set- 
tled his  youngest  son,  Ebenezer.  Headers  will  please  no- 
tice the  following.  A  very  singular  and  remarkable 
fact.  A  parallel  to  it  in  all  respects  it  will  be  hard  to  find, 
except  possibly  in  homestead  number  seven,  that  of  Samuel 
Wright,  Jr.  This  Bridge  street  property  has  come  down 
simply  by  descent,  in  a  direct  line  in  the  Sheldon  family* 
during  the  long  interval,  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  years 
and  nearly  eight   months,    Feb.    19th,    1660-1881.      No    con- 


192  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

veyance  or  title  has  ever  been  on  record  from  the  earliest  time. 
It  has  never  changed  hands,  but  has  passed  down  from  one 
generation  to  another,  from  father  to  son,  during  the  entire 
period.  It  still  remains  in  the  family,  as  will  be  seen  by 
and  by.  The  writer  cannot  forbear  designating  it  a  wonder- 
ful providence. 

Before  proceeding  with  this  Bridge  street  homestead  num- 
ber sixty,  it  is  proper  to  take  leave  of  its  earliest  proprietor, 
intimately  connected  with  the  shaping  and  history  of  it. 
Leaving  behind  the  most  of  his  fifteen  children,  Isaac,  the 
settler  and  senior,  died  1708,  in  his  eightieth  year.  Followed 
not  long  after,  1712,  probably  from  the  same  spot,  by  Isaac, 
Jr.,  his  first-born,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six.  From  that  King 
street  home  went  forth,  one  after  another,  sons  of  Isaac,  Sr., 
who  became  the  ancestors  of  those  of  the  name,  who  lived  and 
those  who  may  still  be  living,  in  Southampton,  Berkshire 
county,  Hartford  and  other  places  in  Connecticut,  Kutland 
and  elsewhere  in  Vermont.  Not  to  forget  particular  mention 
of  the  valiant,  active,  influential  Ensign  John,  prominent  in 
the  early  history  of  Deerfield,  ancestor  of  the  long  line  of 
Sheldons  of  that  town,  and  of  his  distinguished  descendant, 
George  Sheldon,  of  the  sixth  generation  from  Ensign  John, 
president  of  the  Pocomptuc  Valley  Memorial  Association. 
Another  of  the  fifteen,  who  settled  in  his  native  town,  Thomas, 
for  twenty-three  years  an  honored  deacon  in  the  church,  1702- 
1725,  who  presented  to  it  over  one  hundred  and  fifty-five 
years  ago,  vessels  of  massive  silver  plate,  still  in  use  in  the 
First  Church  on  sacramental  occasions,  having  the  donor's 
name  engraved  on  them. 

Still  another  of  the  family,  which  brings  us  to  the  Bridge 
street  homestead,  viz. :  Ebenezer,  better  known  in  connection 
with  his  military  title,  much  thought  of  in  those    days,  viz.: 


ANCIEI^T    NOKTHAMPTON"    HOMESTEADS.  193 

Ensign  Ebenezer.  On  the  16tli  of  December,  1701,  he  mar- 
ried Mary  Hunt,  born  1680,  daughter  of  the  first  Dea.  Jon- 
athan Hunt  from  Harrford,  thus  uniting  the  two  families, 
the  Hunts  and  the  Sheldons.  Mary  Hunt  Sheldon  has  been 
described  as  a  lady  of  much  refinement,  a  great  favorite 
among  the  young.  Mrs.  Levi  Shepherd,  mother  of  the  Shep- 
herds, Thomas,  Levi  and  Charles,  who  built  on  Round  Hill; 
who  died  about  fifty  years  ago,  quite  advanced  in  years,  re- 
membered by  some  at  the  present  day,  had  a  distinct  recol- 
lection of  visits  in  her  childhood  to  Mrs.  Ebenezer  Sheldon. 
She  used  to  describe  her  personal  appearance,  the  old  house, 
and  the  customs  of  those  days,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  ago.  The  whole  number  of  their  children  eight,  viz. : 
Ebenezer  born  1702,  Noah  born  1706,  Stephen  1709,  Israel 
1715,  Moses  1716,  Hester  1719,  Elias  1721,  Mary  1724.  The 
first  of  the  eight,  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  will  be  noticed  subsequently. 
The  father.  Ensign  Ebenezer,  lived  on  the  homestead  fifty- 
three  years,  surviving  some  of  his  sons,  and  deceased  1755, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-seven.  His  wife  attained  a  greater  age, 
viz. :  eighty-seven,  and  lived  on  the  place  about  sixty-six 
years,  1701-1767. 

Coming  to  the  next  generation,  as  owner  of  the  estate, 
stands  the  name  of  Elias  Sheldon,  born  1721,  son  of  the  fore- 
going, who  survived  his  father  thirty-eight  years,  and  died 
1793,  aged  seventy-two.  Married  Catharine  Chapin,  daugh- 
ter of  Caleb  Chapin  of  Bernardston,  then  a  frontier  settle- 
ment, which  suffered  greatly  from  Indian  incursions  and 
cruelties.  Date  of  their  marriage  and  the  number  of  their 
children  not  ascertained.  Numerous  the  incidents  related  by 
her  of  the  hardships  of  those  early  times  during  the  French 
and  Indian  war.  The  following  thrilling  account  has  come 
down  in  the  family.      She  distinctly   remembered   that    when 


194  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

a  child  in  her  father's  house,  in  the  wilderness,  as  it  then 
was,  the  murders  and  devastations  of  the  Indians,  had  become 
so  alarming,  that  the  men  of  the  settlement  united  in  build- 
ing some  sort  of  a  fort,  for  the  mutual  protection  of  their 
families.  One  night,  when  Mr.  Chapin  was  away  with  his 
neighbors  completing  the  fort,  when  the  moon  was  shining 
clearly,  and  the  children  and  their  mother  were  sleeping  alone, 
the  little  ones  in  a  trundle  bed,  she  was  waked  by  her 
mother's  saying  in  a  subdued  voice,  ''Children,  don't  speak 
for  the  world."  She  opened  her  eyes,  looked  up  at  the  small 
window  and  saw  the  full  face  of  an  Indian,  his  piercing  eyes 
looking  in,  closely  scrutinizing  the  interior,  to  see  whether 
the  house  was  occupied.  Providentially,  he  concluded  it  was 
not,  and  disappeared.  In  the  morning  they  saw  his  tracks 
in  the  snow,  and  how  he  had  placed  a  boy's  sled  against  the 
side  of  the  house,  on  which  he  had  climbed  to  look  in. 
That  was  a  joyful  day  to  the  family,  who  had  been  in  such 
peril.  The  father  returned  and  took  them  to  the  fort.  This 
Caleb  Chapin,  one  of  the  valiant  men  of  the  Bernardston 
settlement,  father-in-law  of  Elias  Sheldon,  fought  bravely  at 
the  battle  of  Lake  George,  1755,  under  the  command  of  Col. 
Ephraim  Williams,  of  Williams  College  memory,  founder  of 
that  institution.  Williams  and  Chapin  both  fell  at  the  same 
time.  It  is  in  point  to  notice  the  oldest  brother  of  Elias, 
viz.:  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  born  on  Bridge  street,  who  met  an  early 
and  violent  death  under  the  following  circumstances.  The 
town  of  Deerfield,  much  exposed  by  its  situation,  was  threat- 
ened by  the  enemy.  Fearless  and  self-sacrificing,  he,  with 
others,  generously  volunteered  to  go  up,  viz.:  from  North- 
ampton, for  the  defence  of  that  place.  In  a  skirmish  which 
ensued  with  the  Indians,  he  was  killed  by  a  tomahawk  thrown 
by  one   of  the  savages.      Young  Sheldon  wore  silver  buckles 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  195 

in  his  shoes,  which  the  Indian  endeavored  to  secure.  In 
the  effort  to  unfasten  them  they  were  bent;  surprised  by 
the  defenders  of  the  place,  he  relinquished  his  purpose  and 
left.  The  tomahawk  and  shoe  buckles  continued  in  the 
family  as  relics  for   many  years. 

The  third  on  the  Bridge  street  homestead,  son  of  Elias 
and  Catharine  Chapin,  was  Isaac,  born  1774,  deceased 
1862,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight.  His  wife  was  Dorcas 
Frost  of  Westhampton,  whose  father  died  at  West  Point, 
in  the  service  of  his  country,  at  the  time  when  a  division 
of  the  revolutionary  army  was  stationed  in  the  vicinity. 
Whole  number  of  their  children,  eight.  Four  or  five  de- 
ceased in  early  life.  Theodore,  who  died  in  1852,  is  re- 
membered in  Northampton  as  an  active,  successful  business 
man.  The  large,  commodious  house  erected  and  used  by 
him  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  subsequently  taken  down, 
removed  to  Princeton,  N.  J.,  and  there  rebuilt,  preserving 
its  original  form  and  aspect,  has  been  occupied  by  his 
brother  for  many  years.  Caleb  Sheldon,  Isaac's  brother, 
lived  in  Chesterfield  and  died  there  in  1827,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-three.  A  sister,  Catharine,  married  Rev.  Eli  Smith, 
and  died  young,  leaving  a  son,  Eli,  who  pursued  study, 
entered  the  ministry,  settled  in  Kentucky,  became  a  prom- 
inent Presbyterian  clergyman.  Whether  this  son  was  the 
Rev.  Eli  Smith  who  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1809  and 
died  1837,    at  the   age   of  fifty,    the  writer  is   not   sure. 

This  ancient  homestead  was  next  owned  by  Rev.  George 
Sheldon,  D.  D.,  of  Princeton,  N.  J.,  the  youngest  son  of 
Isaac,  employed  for  thirty-three  years  as  district  superin- 
tendent for  the  American  Bible  Society  in  New  Jersey. 
His  four  sons  graduated  at  Princeton  College;  all  connected 
with  the   various  professions.      At   the   Wycliffe  semi-millen- 


196  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

nial  Bible  celebration,  Sept.  21  and  22,  in  the  state  house 
at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  1380-1880,  among  the  twelve  or  more 
addresses  on  the  Bible,  the  third  one,  *^The  Bible  in  New 
Jersey,"   was  by   Kev.    George   Sheldon,    D.  D. 

Before  closing,  very  timely  a  remark  of  the  late  dis- 
tinguished antiquarian,  Sylvester  Judd,  viz.:  That  from  the 
time  of  the  first  settlement  in  Northampton,  there  are  fewer 
generations  in  the  line  of  the  Sheldon  family,  than  in  any 
other.  The  late  Isaac  was  only  of  the  fourth  generation; 
George,  his  son,  of  the  fifth,  in  the  long  interval  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  years.  One  reason  is,  that  in  each 
generation  down  to  the  present,  the  youngest  son  of  what 
was  generally  a  large  family,  became  the  owner  of  the  home- 
stead, while  the  older  sons  settled  elsewhere.  Still  another 
reason,  viz. :  these  younger  sons  all  lived  beyond  the  common 
age  of  man.  Ebenezer  died  at  seventy-seven,  Elias  seventy- 
two,  Isaac  eighty-eight.  This  homestead  has  continued  in 
the  Sheldon  family  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  years.  It 
is  now  held  by  those  of  the  sixth  generation,  the  heirs  of 
Kev.  George  Sheldon,  D.  D.,  who  deceased  at  Princeton,  N. 
J.,  June  16th,  1881. 

Homestead  number  sixty-one.  William  Stockwell,  West 
Earms.  Originated  in  Connecticut,  the  town  of  Thompson. 
Born  in  the  year  1744;  married  about  1767.  Forty-two  when 
he  removed  and  located  at  West  Farms,  1786,  the  same  year 
when  two  or  three  other  families  from  Connecticut  settled  in 
Northampton,  the  year,  moreover,  when  Western  Massachu- 
setts was  agitated  by  the  Shay's  rebellion.  Whole  number  of 
William  Stockwell's  children,  when  he  crossed  into  Massachu- 
setts, ten.  The  Millers  and  Peltons  preceded  him  at  West 
Farms,  which  for  the  first  half  century,  went  by  the  name  of 
Lonetown.      From    Williamsburg   to    Southampton,  the  main 


ANCIENT    NORTHAMPTON    HOMESTEADS.  197 

road  has  always  passed  through  the  settlement.  Half  a  mile 
north  from  the  center,  ten  rods  west  from  the  road,  William 
Stockwell  built  in  those  early  times,  a  two-story  dwelling. 
The  ten  children  comprised  four  sons  and  six  daughters. 
Three  of  the  sons  settled  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Walter, 
the  oldest,  chose  a  locality  on  the  east  side  of  the  street, 
where  he  reared  six  children,  and  where  he  attained  the  great 
age  of  ninety-eight.  One  of  the  six  now  living,  Spencer, 
in  his  eighty-eighth  year,  has  had  nine  children.  William, 
number  two,  brother  of  Walter,  lived  on  the  west  side,  south 
of  his  father's.  Married  Lucy  Miller,  daughter  of  John  Mil- 
ler, who  first  led  the  way  to  that  part  of  the  town.  Whole 
number  of  their  children,  eleven.  Married  for  his  second 
wife  Betsey  Pelton.  Lived  with  each  wife  the  same  number 
of  years,  twenty-five.  Died  in  1846,  in  his  seventy-fourth 
year.  One  of  the  abo\e  eleven,  William,  number  three,  vvent 
to  Kavenna,  Ohio,  in  1834.  Had  thirteen  children;  five 
were  born  in  Massachusetts  and  eight  in  Ohio.  Eleven  of 
the  number  still  live.  Deceased  in  his  eightieth  year.  One 
of  his  sons,  John  N.,  has  signalized  himself  in  the  science  of 
astronomy,  having  been  emj^loyed  by  the  government.  Lived 
several  years  in  Cambridge.  Noav  resides  at  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
A  sister  of  William  number  three,  married  Grotius  Pratt,  of 
West  Farms.  They  moved  in  1825  into  the  state  of  K"ew 
York;  have  reared  twelve  children.  Two  brothers,  Orren  and 
Calvin  Stockwell,  remain  at  West  Farms.  F.  A.  Stockwell, 
dealer  in  groceries  and  agricultural  implements,  Northampton, 
is  a  brother  of  Calvin. 

Pass  to  Elijah,  the  third  son  of  the  first  William,  born  in 
1778.  Lived  on  the  homestead  and  succeeded  his  father; 
continued  to  own  and  occupy  the  same  till  1824.      After  that 

lived  on  the  east  side   of  the    highway.      His   four   daughters 
23 


198  ANTIQUITIES    A2TD    HISTORICALS. 

married  and  had  families,  and  now  live  at  West  Farms;  their 
united  ages  amount  to  two  hundred  and  eighty,  averaging 
seventy.  Elijah,  the  father,  lived  to  be  eighty-six.  In  1824, 
the  homestead  passed  into  the  possession  of  his  nephew,  and 
grandson  of  the  first  William,  viz. :  Loren  S.  Bartlett,  in  his 
seventy-seventh  year,  his  two  sons  living  with  him  on  the 
place.  A  new  house  occupies  the  spot  where  the  old  one 
stood.  The  two  sons  have  recently  erected  a  new  steam  saw-mill. 
From  a  recent  statement,  it  appears  that  this  business  has  char- 
acterized that  part  of  the  town,  from  an  early  date.  Hence  the 
name  of  the  locality  in  that  neighborhood,  '*  Saw  Mill  Hills." 
The  fourth  son  of  the  first  William,  viz. :  Abner,  went  to 
Ohio  when  quite  young,  married,  and  raised  a  family  of  eight 
or  nine  children.  So  much  for  the  four  sons,  Walter,  Wil- 
liam, Elijah,  Abner.  What  about  the  six  daughters?  Four 
of  them  married  and  settled  at  West  Farms.  The  oldest, 
Betsey,  married  Moses  Bartlett,  Jr.,  members  of  the  First 
Church  as  early  as  1792.  A  large  family,  whole  number  of 
their  children  ten.  The  second,  Olive,  married  Jonathan 
Munyan;  a  still  larger  family,  viz. :  twelve.  The  third, 
Sally,  married  Elijah  Bartlett,  Jr.  ;  four  children.  The 
fourth,  Phebe,  married  Joseph  Bosworth;  one  son  now  liv- 
ing, probably  S.  J.  Bosworth  of  Florence.  The  other  two, 
Polly  and  Electa,  remained  unmarried.  Respecting  these  ten 
children,  it  may  be  observed,  they  all  lived  to  be  over  fifty. 
Five  were  octogenarians.  Two  lived  to  be  between  seventy 
and  eighty.  One  between  sixty  and  seventy.  Two  between 
fifty  and  sixty.  Seven  families,  including  the  first  William's 
and  six  of  his  descendants,  averaged  eleven  children  each. 
William  Stock  well's  grandchildren  numbered  about  sixty. 
The  homestead  at  West  Farms  has  continued  in  the  family, 
in  connection  with  four  generations,  perhaps  five,  ninety-five 
years,  1786-1881. 


CHAPTEK    XV. 

THE    HOMESTEAD    SERIES    REVIEWED. 

The  whole  number  of  homesteads  transmitted  in  the  family 
line,  specially  considered,  amounts  to  sixty-one.  The  number 
of  families  associated  with  them,  and  embraced  in  the  series, 
two  hundred  and  fifty.  Allowing  six  persons  to  each  family, 
for  the  early  times  of  the  town,  six  would  be  a  low  estimate, 
as  will  appear  by  and  by,  we  have  as  many  as  fifteen  hun- 
dred individuals  connected  with  these  homesteads.  It  is 
probable  the  actual  number,  were  it  possible  to  reckon  them 
all,  would  not  fall  below  two  thousand.  'No  small  work  to 
locate  genealogically  so  many  families  and  individuals. 

Of  the  sixty-one  homesteads,  two  continued  in  the  same 
family  line  over  two  hundred  and  twenty  years.  A  part  of 
the  twelve  acre  homestead  of  Lieut.  William  Clark,  on  Elm 
street,  has  remained  in  possession  of  some  of  his  descend- 
ants until  now,  1659-1881,  two  hundred  and  twenty-two 
years.  Another  homestead,  having  come  down  the  long 
track  of  two  hundred  and  six  years,  still  continues  in  the 
same  line.  Of  the  remaining  fifty-seven,  two  have  de- 
scended from  father  to  son  from  one  hundred  and  ninety 
to  two  hundred  years.  Three  from  one  hundred  and  eighty 
to  one  hundred  and  ninety  years.  Eight  from  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy  to  one  hundred  and  eighty.  Three  from 
one   hundred   and  sixty  to   one    hundred  and  seventy.     Five 


200  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

from  one  liiindred  and  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  sixty. 
Five  from  one  hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty. 
Fifteen  from  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and 
forty.  Eight  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  twenty. 
Seven  from   eighty  to   one  hundred   years. 

Four  of  the  sixty-one  were  located  on  Main  street.  Five 
were  on  King  street,  including  one  near  Shady  Lawn. 
Two  were  on  Market  street.  Seven  on  Bridge  street. 
Three  on  Hawley  street,  not  counting  the  Capt.  Samuel 
Clarke  place,  now  Mrs.  Washburn's,  which  continued  some 
seventy  years  in  the  Clarke  family;  not  counting  more- 
over, the  Simeon  Butler  place,  for  the  past  eighty  years 
in  that  family.  One  on  Pleasant  street.  Three  others, 
not  included  nor  considered  on  that  street,  were  handed 
down  in  the  family  line;  the  Judd's  ninety  years,  Capt. 
Moses  Lyman's  one  hundred  years,  and  Robert  Bartlett's 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years.  Fourteen  were 
situated  on  South  street.  Three  on  West  street  or  Welsh 
End.  Ten  on  Elm  street.  One  on  Prospect  street,  not 
counting  the  Warner  place,  descendants  of  the  second  Mark 
Warner,  which  lived  on  Blackpole  street,  over  a  century. 
Four  were  at  South  Farms.  One  at  West  Farms.  Two  at 
Roberts  Meadow.  One  at  Rail  Hill,  now  a  part  of  Leeds. 
One  in  the  Warner  district.  Two  at  North  Farms.  Four 
of  the  most  ancient  homesteads,  and  of  the  longest  con- 
tinuance in  the  same  family,  were  on  Bridge  street,  and 
one   on   Elm   street. 

The  first  comers,  as  a  matter  of  precaution,  economy 
and  mutual  aid,  settled  as  near  the  center  as  possible,  viz.: 
on  King,  Pleasant,  Market  and  Hawley  streets.  The  first 
minister.  Rev.  Eleazar  Mather,  lived  directly  in  the  center, 
on  the   south   side   of   Main  street,    his   home  lot  and   farm. 


HOMESTEAD    SEKIES    REVIEWED.  201 

besides  extending  east,  embraced  the  ground  now  occupied 
by  Shop  Kow,  also  the  Dr.  Hunt  place  formerly,  where 
the  Hampshire  County  Bank  stands.  His  land,  on  Pleas- 
ant street,  extended  south  beyond  Judge  Hinckley's  now 
Mr.  Kirkland's.  The  three  streets  that  next  claimed  the 
attention  of  settlers,  were  Bridge,  West  or  Welsh  End,  and 
Elm.  Here  please  to  bear  this  in  mind.  Pro|)erly  speak- 
ing, there  were  no  streets,  as  now  understood,  in  those 
early  years.  What  we  call  streets  were  simply  paths,  foot 
paths  from  house  to  house.  Those  answered  for  the  time 
the  requirements  of  the  people.  Riding  Avas  done  on  horse- 
back as  now  in  some  parts  of  the  south.  Probably,  at 
first,  but  little  riding  was  attempted.  Not  till  1663,  were 
Northampton  and  Hadley  connected  by  a  road.  The  same 
in  respect  to  Northampton  and  Windsor,  Ct.,  which  might 
be  called  the  market  road,  their  only  way  to  market,  viz. : 
Boston,  by  Hartford  and  the  ocean.  It  was  ten  years  be- 
fore this  road  was  constructed,  viz. :  1664,  quite  round- 
about  to   Boston,    but   it   was   a  great   accommodation. 

Leaving  this  point,  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  the  second 
minister,  built  on  Prospect  street,  under  Round  Hill,  in 
1673,  the  site  of  his  dwelling  being  the  same  as  the  man- 
sion of  Henry  R.  Hinckley.  The  first  permanent  homestead 
on  South  street,  so  far  as  the  writer  knows,  dates  near 
the  close  of  the  century,  viz.:  1696.  As  the  first  bridge 
over  Mill  river  was  voted  in  1661,  it  is  possible  settle- 
ments on  that  side  commenced  at  an  earlier  date.  If  so, 
the  number  must  have  been  small.  Of  thp.  ten  homesteads 
described  on  South  street,  the  order  of  names  stands  as 
follows:  Lieut.  John  Parsons,  1696.  The  second  Dea.  John 
Clark,  1704.  His  brother,  Nathaniel  Clark,  1705.  Nathan- 
iel Phelps,  about  1706.      Samuel  Edwards,  Jr.,  1708.      Noah 


202  Al^TIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

Parsons,  brother  of  the  foregoing  Lieut.  John  Parsons,  1712. 
Capt.  Koger  Clapp,  1713.  Sergt.  Jonathan  Strong,  1730. 
Samuel  Kingsley,  Jr.,  1739.      Dea.  Josiah  Clark,   1744. 

As  to  the  earliest  out-districts,  still  in  Northampton,  the 
following  dates  are  submitted  respecting  the  order,  or  time  of 
their  first  settlement.  South  Farms  in  1687.  North  Farms 
and  the  Warner  district,  1759.  Roberts  Meadow,  1773. 
West  Farms  near  the  same  time.  Kail  Hill  about  1790.  No- 
ticeable, the  foregoing  date  of  the  South  Farms  settlement, 
viz. :  1687.  Seventy-two  years  before  any  other  out-district, 
Pascomac  excepted,  and  settlements  at  what  afterwards  be- 
came Easthampton  and  Southampton.  All  that  time,  inse- 
curity was  more  or  less  widely  felt.  The  Indians  and  their 
allies  often  prowling  in  the  vicinity,  ready  to  burn  the  build- 
ings, to  capture  or  butcher  the  defenceless.  After  1675,  on- 
ward, 1689,  1704,  1706,  and  later,  the  danger  was  perpetual. 
The  fortified  houses  multiplied  from  year  to  year.  From 
half  a  mile  to  a  mile  square,  the  authorities  constructed  a 
palisade  or  fortification,  extending  it  round  the  settlement. 
Such  were  the  circumstances  when  the  movement  toward 
South  Farms  began.  Four  miles  distant,  too  far  to  go  for 
succor  in  case  of  an  attack,  only  the  boldest  adventurer 
would  make  the  attempt.  One  there  was,  however,  ready 
for  the  undertaking,  Lieut.  John  Lyman.  Not  the  valiant, 
the  first  Lieut.  John,  in  command  of  the  Northamj^ton  sol- 
diers in  the  well  known  Falls  fight,  near  Deerfield,  May  18, 
1676.  Not  this  one,  but  his  son,  equally  intrepid,  the  second 
Lieut.  John  Lyman,  only  twenty-seven  at  the  time  of  his 
removal.  More  than  one  has  inquired,  was  he  ever  molested? 
Did  the  savage  foe  ever  cross  his  path?  Whether  more  than 
once  the  writer  cannot  say.  It  has  come  down  in  the  fam- 
ily that  in  1704,    the   year    so    disastrous    to    the    Pascomac 


HOMESTEAD    SERIES    REVIEWED.  203 

neighborhood,  the  Indians,  flushed  by  recent  success,  invaded 
the  premises  of  Lieut.  John  Lyman,  taking  shelter  behind 
his  barn.  Cool,  self-possessed,  watching  his  opportunity,  he 
fired  upon  them  with  decisive  effect.  One  of  the  number, 
a  leader  it  may  be,  instantly  fell.  Appalled  at  the  scene, 
the  foe  withdrew,  carrying  away  their  slain  companion.  Long 
afterwards  his  bones  were  discovered  by  some  of  Lieut.  John's 
descendants.  After  that  memorable  repulse,  the  Indians  gave 
him  no  further  trouble.  Such  is  the  historical  outline  or 
story  connected  with  the  South  Farms  early  settlement.  Be- 
fore passing  to  the  next  point  it  occurs  to  the  writer  to  say, 
as  illustrating  the  valor  of  that  Lyman 'family,  the  first  who 
settled  across  the  river  at  Hockanum,  viz. :  in  1745,  was  the 
son  of  the  foregoing,  the  third  John,  usually  called  Caj^t. 
John.  The  three  Johns  reared  each  a  numerous  family. 
The  first  had  ten  children;   the  second,  ten;    the  third,  nine. 

Allusion  having  been  occasionally  made  to  some  of  the 
large  families,  it  seems  suitable  in  this  general  summing  up 
of  the  series,  to  say  more  on  the  subject.  What  might  form 
an  extended  chapter,  must  be  restricted  to  a  single  paragraph. 
Here  would  be  found  rich  and  useful  a  manuscript  prepared 
by  the  late  and  estimable  Dr.  Stebbins,  detailing  the  dates 
of  marriages  and  births  from  the  commencement  of  the 
settlement  onward  into  the  present  century.  This  docu- 
ment, on  many  accounts  a  treasure,  valuable  to  the  public 
and   to   posterity,    the   writer  has   not    been   able  to  obtain. 

Respecting  the  families  of  the  largest  size,  so  far  as 
known,  please  accept  the  names  which  follow.  Heading 
the  list  stands  the  ever  memorable,  honored  one  of  Elder 
John  Strong,  a  family  of  twenty,  besides  the  jjarents  eigh- 
teen children.  Jonathan,  his  grandson,  stands  second;  a 
family  of  nineteen,    besides   the    father    and    mother,    seven- 


204  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

teen  children.  Third  in  order  comes  the  Hon.  Josiah 
Dwight,  brother-in-law  of  Col.  William  T.  Edwards,  for 
some  years  clerk  of  the  court  of  Hampshire  county,  and 
afterward  treasurer  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts;  a  family 
of  nineteen — seventeen  children.  The  fourth,  John  Steb- 
bins,  had  by  his  two  wives,  sixteen  children.  This  is  the 
one  apjiointed  in  1661,  with  others,  to  build  a  meeting- 
house forty-two  feet  square,  at  an  expense  not  exceeding 
£150.  The  fifth  in  order,  viz. :  Thomas  Strong,  son  of 
Elder  John,  who  received  a  homestead  from  his  father,  on 
Pleasant  street,  where  he  died  in  1689;  a  family  of  eigh- 
teen— sixteen  children.  The  sixth,  viz.:  Isaac  Sheldon,  Sr., 
who  lived  about  fifty  years  on  King  street,  ancestor  of  the 
Sheldons — fifteen  children.  The  seventh,  viz. :  Jedediah 
Strong,  another  son  of  Elder  John,  who  lived  east  or  north- 
east of  meeting-house  hill,  an  important  man  in  the  com- 
munity, paid  eighteen  shillings  a  year,  for  blowing  the  trum- 
pet on  Sunday,  to  summon  the  people  to  church,  a  constable 
in  1683 — fourteen  children.  Joseph  Allen,  on  King  street, 
ancestor  of  the  Aliens,  Brecks,  and  some  of  the  Clarks,  hus- 
band of  the  celebrated  Elizabeth  Parsons — fourteen  children. 
Moses  Clark,  father  of  the  late  Dea.  Israel,  who,  after  1751, 
moved  to  Sunderland — fourteen  children.  The  seven  which 
follow  represent  families  of  thirteen  children,  viz. :  Ebenezer 
Strong,  Jr.,  Ebenezer  Hunt,  father  of  Dea.  Ebenezer,  Major 
Timothy  D wight,  Nathaniel  Edwards,  3d,  Theodore  Lyman, 
Jonathan  H.  Lyman,  William  Stockwell  number  three,  who 
moved  to  Ohio.  The  families  containing  twelve  children, 
eleven  and  ten,  are  far  too  numerous  to  be  particularized. 
Estimating  the  number  containing  twelve  children  at  thirty- 
five  or  even  thirty,  those  numbering  eleven  and  ten  each,  if 
added  to  the  twelves,  would  fall  but  little,  if  any,  below  one 


HOMESTEAD    SERIES    REVIEWED.  205 

hundred.  Time  was  when  a  family  of  eight  oi>  nine  chil- 
dren, now  considered  large,  would  have  been  regarded  as  of 
medium  size. 

Entering  into  this  review  of  the  homesteads,  and  intimately 
related  to  the  preceding  topic,  comes  another,  demanding,  at 
least,  a  few  words,  viz, :  the  early  emigration  of  some  of 
the  children  of  the  settlers  to  other  localities,  doing  for 
other  places,  starting  into  existence,  what  their  parents  had 
done  for  the  settlement  of  their  own  native  place.  So  many 
large  families  springing  up  of  the  second  generation,  each 
member  of  Avhich  needing  in  time  a  homestead,  evidently  on 
the  part  of  some,  attention  must  be  directed  elsewhere.  So 
they  reasoned  and  acted  accordingly.  Having  freely  received, 
the  settlers  felt  they  must  freely  give.  Give  the  best  of  their 
sons  and  daughters.  Inside  of  fifty  years  from  the  first  com- 
ing of  the  fathers  and  mothers,  went  forth  the  children  to 
establish  homes  for  themselves,  and  their  descendants  else- 
where. Memorable  the  name  and  the  date  of  the  first  de- 
parture, viz. :  Richard  Lyman,  in  1696,  son  of  the  Richard 
who  lived  on  Pleasant  street,  whose  homestead  came  down  in 
the  family  line  through  six  generations  for  over  one  hundred 
and  seventy  years.  To  Lebanon,  Ct.,  went  the  Lymans,  also 
the  first  minister  there.  Rev.  Joseph  Parsons,  also  the  Hunts 
and  the  Clarks.  To  Coventry,  Ct.,  went  the  influential  fam- 
ily of  the  Roots,  and  some  of  the  Strongs.  To  Durham,  in 
the  same  State,  went  Thomas  Lyman,  Moses  Parsons,  some 
of  the  Strongs,  and  the  Chaunceys.  To  Woodbury,  Ct., 
went  the  Stoddards,  also  Hon.  Adino  Strong.  Cannot  enu- 
merate all.  Numerous,  intelligent,  of  the  best  material, 
several  of  them  became  men  of  distinction,  their  descendants 
embraced  many  of  the  best  families  in  Connecticut.  Special 
mention  may    be   made    of   one.      Justice  Joseph  Strong   was 


206  ANTIQUITIES    AITD    HISTOKICALS. 

born  in  Ncwthampton,  1672,  one  of  the  sixteen  children  of 
Thomas  Strong.  At  the  age  of  forty-four,  1716,  having  a 
family  of  nine  children,  he  moved  to  Coventry,  Ct.,  seven 
years  after  the  tirst  settlement  of  that  town,  a  farmer,  a  man 
of  property  and  of  great  worth.  Immediately  the  town  pro- 
moted him  to  office,  such  as-  town  treasurer  in  1716,  select- 
man for  six  years,  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  long  time.  In 
1721,  the  first  year  that  Coventry  was  represented  in  the  Co- 
lonial Legislature,  he  was  sent  to  it  as  the  representative  of 
the  town.  The  legislature  met  twice  a  year  till  1819.  For 
fifty-two  times  he  was  chosen  rei^resentative;  including  extra 
sessions  he  was  a  member  of  that  body  during  sixty-five 
sessions.  At  the  last  one,  May,  1762,  he  was  in  his 
ninetieth  year.  In  his  ninety-first  year,  viz.:  in  1763,  he 
officiated  as  moderator  of  the  town  meeting.  His  descendants 
in  Coventry  and  elsewhere  amount  to  several  hundreds. 

Before  closing  the  topic  of  early  emigration,  viz. :  to  Con- 
necticut, to  prevent  mistake,  it  may  be  well  to  add  that  at 
a  date  earlier  than  1696,  families  left  Northampton  for  places 
in  the  vicinity.  Thus,  two  or  three  went  to  Westfield  about 
1670.  Three  or  four  years  later  a  number  moved  to  Deer- 
field.  As  many  more  went  to  Northfield  in  1684-6.  These 
two  latter  communities  took  from  the  town  names  as  follows: 
Allen,  Alexander,  Bascom,  Carter,  French,  Hulbert,  Hunt, 
Janes,  Lyman,  Miller,  Merry,  Nims,  Parsons,  Root,  Sheldon, 
Stebbins,  and  probably  some  others.  Says  an  antiquarian  of 
Franklin  county:  I  can  count  more  than  two  score  of  men 
and  many  women  who  left  Northampton  as  settlers  in  Deer- 
field  and  Northfield.  About  half  went  as  early  as  1674;  the 
rest  went  in  1684-6. 

The  three  families,  of  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  connected 
with  the  sixty-one  homesteads,  having  the  largest   number  of 


HOMESTEAD    SERIES    KEYIEWED.  207 

grandchildren,  are  as  follows:  Elder  John  Strong,  one  hun- 
dred and  fourteen,  eighty-eight  of  whom  are  on  record  as 
heads  of  families.  Probably  twelve  more  might  be  added, 
making  the  full  number  of  one  hundred  heads  of  families.  A 
good  proportion  of  them  were  large  families,  numbering  from 
ten  to  seventeen  children.  The  second  of  the  three  was  the 
first  Dea.  John  Clark,  who  lived  023posite  the  Solomon  Stod- 
dard place,  on  Elm  street.  When  his  widow  deceased  in 
1738,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  her  grandchildren  amounted 
to  eighty-three,  many  of  them  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of 
her  residence.  The  third  family  was  that  of  Dea.  John's 
brother-in-law,  Esq.  Joseph  Parsons.  The  exact  number  of 
his  grandchildren  beyond  sixty-six  cannot  be  stated,  probably 
from  seventy  to  seventy-five.  If  the  writer  were  to  add  a 
fourth  it  would  be  that  of  William  Stockwell,  who  settled  at 
West  Farms,  whose  grandchildren,  as  already  reported,  counted 
as  high  as  sixty.  A  fifth,  that  of  Benjamin  Tappan's,  footed 
up  sixty-one  grandchildren.  Considering  the  number  of  very 
large  families  in  the  early  history  of  the  town,  it  would  not 
be  strange  if  other  instances  existed  where  the  grandchildren 
numbered  from  sixty  to  seventy. 

Pass  to  the  item  of  longevity.  The  family  the  most 
marked  in  this  respect,  of  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  referred 
to,  is  that  of  the  foregoing,  the  first  Dea.  John  Clark.  The 
ages  of  the  six  sons  were  as  follows:  The  first  lived  to  be 
eighty-nine.  The  second  eighty-six.  The  third  ninety-eight, 
four  months  and  nine  days.  The  fourth  ninety-one,  and 
nearly  five  months.  The  fifth  eighty-two,  and  two  months. 
The  sixth,  ninety-tw^o.  Three  of  the  six,  octogenarians. 
The  other  three  nonagenarians.  The  average  age  of  the  six 
almost  ninety.  The  age  of  the  first  daughter  not  ascertained. 
The  second  lived  to  be  eighty-seven.      The  third  eighty-four. 


208  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

The  fourth  seventy-eight.  The  fifth  not  known.  The  average 
age  of  the  second,  third  and  fourth  daughters  almost  eighty- 
two. 

The  oldest  woman  of  Northampton  was  probably  Abigail 
Phelps  Alvord,  who  died  in  1756,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred 
and  two.  She  was  born  in  Springfield,  1654.  When  her 
father,  Dea.  Nathaniel  Phelps,  joined  the  Northampton  set- 
tlement, about  1656,  she  was  the  youngest  of  three  children, 
and  at  the  age  of  two.  For  particulars  of  Dea.  Nathaniel 
Phelps,  see  homestead  number  seventeen.  When  and  to  whom 
married  cannot  state.  She  lived  a  full  century  in  the  town, 
through  the  ministry  of  Kev.  Mr.  Mather,  the  long  one  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Stoddard,  the  eventful  one  of  the  distinguished 
Mr.  Edwards,  into  the  third  year  of  Mr.  Hooker.  She  at- 
tended meeting  in  each  of  the  first  three  meeting  houses, 
knew  all  the  ancient  worthies,  survived  all  of  the  first,  second, 
many  of  the  third  generations;  and  witnessed  as  many  as 
eleven  or  twelve  remarkable  church  harvests,  so  called,  the 
year  of  her  departure,  1756,  being  honored  as  one  of  the 
number. 

The  next  oldest  woman  was  Rachael  Edwards,  wife  of 
Nathaniel,  noted  in  his  day  as  a  teacher  for  ten  years  on 
South  street.  The  school  house  stood  opposite  his  dwelling. 
Noted,  moreover,  for  his  laudable  efforts  in  behalf  of  the 
girls  of  his  neighborhood,  that  they  might  be  taught  the 
same  branches  as  the  boys.  Her  maiden  name  was  Rachael 
Clapp;  lived  to  be  one  hundred  years,  four  months  and 
eleven  days,  surviving  her  husband  nearly  fifty  years.  For 
an  account  given  by  this  venerable  woman  explaining  why 
South  street  went  by  the  name  formerly  of  Licking  Water, 
see  homestead  number  thirteen. 

Widow  Elizabeth  Wright  may  be  added    to   the   foregoing. 


HOMESTEAD    SERIES    REVIEWED.  209 

She  was  daughter  of  Timothy  Wright,  who  lived  on  King 
street.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  in  1776,  she  married  Dea. 
Enos  AVright,  who  lived  on  Bridge  street,  and  is  described  as 
one  of  the  best  women  that  ever  lived,  always  bright  and 
cheerful.  She  lived  to  be  ninety-eight  years  and  six  months, 
and  survived  her  husband  twenty  years.  She  retained  her 
connection  with  the  church  from  her  twenty-second  to  her 
ninety-ninth  year,  during  the  long  period  of  seventy-seven 
years,  probably  a  longer  time  than  any  other  of  the  thirty- 
five  hundred,  more  or  less,  who  have  been  members  of  the 
First  Church,  since  its  organization,  two  hundred  and  twenty 
years  ago.  The  lifetime  of  the  two,  Abigail  Phelps  Alvord, 
and  widow  Elizabeth  Wright,  embraced  the  first  two  hundred 
years  of  Northampton  history,  1654-1854.  Down  through 
this  long  interval,  what  stores  of  information  these  two 
women  possessed  respecting  the  families,  the  events,  and 
changes  of  the  town.  Dea.  Enos  and  Elizabeth  were  grand- 
parents of  William  K.  Wright. 

Come  next  to  the  most  remarkable  instance  of  longevity 
the  town  affords.  Philip  Princely  deceased  Sept.  9th,  1855, 
aged  one  hundred  and  ten.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1745, 
came  to  Northampton  at  the  age  of  thirty-five,  viz. :  1780, 
where  he  lived  seventy  five  years.  Up  to  his  one  hundred 
and  seventh  year,  he  regularly  voted  at  town  meetings.  Left 
a  son  who  continued  to  reside  in  the  community.  The  next 
oldest  man  was  Samuel  Bakeman,  whose  early  history  cannot  be 
given.  He  was  probably  long  an  occupant  of  the  pew,  appro- 
priated to  colored  people  in  the  Old  Church,  and  deceased  in 
1834,  at  the  age  of   one  hundred  and  one  years. 

Cautions  as  to  giving  undue  confidence  to  the  reputed  age 
of  such  instances  as  the  last  two,  it  must  be  admitted,  are 
not  out  of  place.      Says  an  antiquarian:     **I  invariably  look 


210  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

with  distrust  upon  such  statements;     it    is    seldom    that    any 
proof   can  be  obtained  of  so  great  longevity." 

Passing  over  other  instances,  reference  may  be  made  to  the 
item  of  health.  Going  back  to  the  commencement,  for  the 
first  seven  years,  an  interval  of  hardships  and  exposures,  1654 
to  1661,  only  ten,  so  far  as  known,  deceased;  one  of  the 
years,  1658,  passed  without  an  instance  of  mortality.  For 
the  five  years,  1655,  1660,  1661,  1677,  1695,  five  deceased, 
one  each  year.  For  the  three  years,  1656,  1667,  1679,  six 
deaths  are  reported,  two  each  year.  For  the  five  years,  1671, 
1672,  1682,  1685,  1700,  when  the  population  was  somewhat 
rapidly  increasing,  fifteen  died,  three  annually.  One  of  the 
number  was  killed  by  lightning.  For  the  first  seventy  years, 
probably  1712,  was  what  might  be  termed  the  sickliest.  At 
one  time  over  thirty  lay  dangerously  ill.  Population  then  in 
the  neighborhood  of  eight  hundred.  This  sickly  season  is 
put  down  as  one  of  the  years  of  religious  ingathering.  For 
many  years,  from  1690,  there  had  been  no  spiritual  harvest. 
Now  at  length,  after  a  long  night,  having  toiled  and  taken 
nothing,  what  the  ministrations  of  the  sanctuary  failed  to 
accomplish,    was    brought    about    by    an    alarming    epidemic. 

Going  forward  to  the  latter  part  of  the  century,  less  than 
one  hundred  years  ago,  the  population  having  reached  sixteen 
hundred,  the  town  contained  seventy-four  upwards  of  seventy 
years  of  age.  Including  them,  there  were  over  one  hundred 
and  twenty  above  the  age  of  sixty.  At  the  commencement 
of  this  century  and  previously,  the  proportion  of  deaths 
annually  varied  from  one  in  eighty,  ninety,  to  one  in  a 
hundred  of  the  inhabitants.  Says  President  Dwight,  speak- 
ing of  the  health  of  the  town,  ^'  Epidemics  visiting 
other  places  have  been  rare  here,  and  hardly  ever  exten- 
sively   fatal."       Here,    please    to   notice,    that   about  seventy- 


HOMESTEAD     SERIES    REVIEWED.  211 

five  years  elapsed  before  the  settlement  had  a  regular  practic. 
ing  phj^sician.  Mr.  Judd  mentions  somewhere  in  the  history 
of  Hadley,  that  women,  in  the  early  days,  acted  as  physi- 
cians. Samuel  Mather,  as  is  understood,  was  the  first  man 
who  settled  in  town  in  regular  practice  as  a  physician.  He 
graduated  at  Yale  in  1786,  and  came  soon  after.  He  was 
born  in  1706,  lived  in  town  about  fifty  years,  a  physician, 
justice  of  the  peace,  selectman,  ancestor  of  a  number  of 
Mather  families,  and  of  at  least  three  physicians,  Dr.  Elisha 
who  died  in  1841,  being  the  last.  Ever  since  1729,  there 
has  always  been  a  regular  physician  in  the  community. 

Following  the  foregoing,  a  closely  related  topic  respects  the 
employment  of  the  people.  A  few  words  will  suSice.  The 
first  settlers  and  their  sons  for  many  years  were  tillers  of  the 
soil.  Even  those  who  had  trades,  the  six  or  eight  mechanics, 
were  usually  farmers.  This,  in  the  main,  accounts  for  the 
large  families  already  noticed,  and  the  early  emigration  of 
many  elsewhere.  It  is  true  that  farming  then,  as  it  ever 
has  been  in  New  England,  was  no  holiday  occupation.  It 
had  its  hardships  and  perils.  Pursued  in  the  vicinity  of 
home,  danger  was  not  so  imminent.  For  over  eighty  years, 
1675-1759,  no  field  could  be  cleared,  no  labor  performed  with 
safety,  even  in  the  nearest  forested  grounds.  The  attacks  of 
the  savages  and  Canadians  were  made  at  times  and  places 
least  expected.  Many  an  unfortunate  farmer  received  his 
death  wound,  where  he  imagined  an  Indian  would  never  ven- 
ture. Only  a  mile  west  of  the  town,  while  visiting  his 
farm,  the  distinguished  Col.  John  Stoddard  narrowly  escaped 
from  an  ambush  of  savages.  One  of  the  workmen  was 
killed.  Farmers  of  those  times  had  many  a  hair-breadth  es- 
cape from  a  savage  foe. 

Hastening  forward,  the  next  particular  respects   the    names 


212  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

common  in  former  days.  Our  forefathers  cherished  a  high 
regard  for  the  Bible,  and  manifested  it  by  the  names  be- 
stowed on  their  children.  Of  the  more  than  three  thousand 
in  the  writer's  possession,  of  those  who  lived  in  Northampton 
between  1654,  and  1825,  it  may  be  said  that,  probably,  nine 
out  of  every  ten  had  a  scriptural  name.  The  following  may 
be  cited,  commencing  with  the  Bible,  and  passing  on  from 
the  old  into  the  new  testament:  Seth,  Enos,  Jared,  Noah, 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Israel,  Reuben,  Simeon,  Levi,  Judah, 
Gad,  Asher,  Joseph,  Benjamin,  Ephraim,  Job,  Eliphaz,  Bil- 
dad,  Elihu,  Aaron,  Moses,  Gershom,  Eleazar,  Ithamar,  Phin- 
ehas,  Eldad,  Medad,  Caleb,  Joshua,  Gideon,  Elkanah,  Eli, 
Samuel,  Ebenezer,  David,  Solomon,  Saul,  Jonathan,  Elna- 
than,  Joab,  Amasa,  Nathan,  Zadok,  Elijah,  Elisha,  Ethan, 
Heman,  Azariah,  Jeremiah,  Hezekiah,  Josiah,  Ezekiel,  Dan- 
iel, Joel,  Zcchariah,  Mark,  Luke,  John,  Peter,  Nathaniel, 
Paul,  Silas,  Gamaliel,  Stephen,  Timothy,  Titus,  and  others. 
The  names  of  women  often  were  Sarah,  Rebecca,  Rachel, 
Asenath,  Mehitabel,  Miriam,  Ruth,  Deborah,  Hannah,  Merab, 
Esther,  Ilephzibah,  Achsah,  Huldah,  Martha,  Mary,  Elisabeth, 
Dorcas,  Lydia,  Lois,  Eunice,  Phebe,  Priscilla.  The  follow- 
ing names  of  men,  not  from  the  Bible,  but  looking  that  way, 
may  be  cited:  Praisever,  Preserved,  Hopestill,  Waitstill, 
Deliverance,  Increase,  Supply.  Names  of  women:  Expe- 
rience, Thankful,  Mercy,  Hope,  Faith,  Charity,  Temj^erance, 
Patience,  Prudence,  Submit,  Mindwell,  Grace,  Silence,  Free- 
dom, Joye.  What  about  double  names?  They  are  com- 
paratively of  recent  date.  No  instance  of  a  double  name  is 
remembered  during  the  first  century  and  a  half  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  town.  The  fathers  and  mothers  of  those  times 
felt  that  a  single  Bible  name  for  their  child  amply  sufficed. 
Pass  to  the  last  particular,  viz. :    the    influence   exerted    in 


HOMESTEAD    SERIES    REVIEWED.  213 

other  localities,  by  some  of  the  sons  of  Northampton.  The 
writer  will  confine  himself  to  a  single  neighborhood  of  the 
last  century,  on  King  street.  Within  a  fourth  of  a  mile, 
lived  the  following  families,  viz. :  the  Tappans,  having  as 
many  as  six  sons  and  two  daughters;  opposite  lived  the 
D wights,  nine  sons  and  four  daughters;  north,  on  the  same 
side  of  the  street,  lived  the  celebrated  Edwards  family,  three 
sons  and  eight  daughters;  a  few  rods  farther  north,  later  in 
the  century,  was  the  Breck  family,  three  sons  and  at  least 
one  daughter;  next  above,  on  the  same  side,  lived  Joseph 
Allen,  having  fourteen  children;  farther  on  was  the  family 
of  Eoots;  the  next  beyond  stood  the  parsonage.  Rev.  John 
Hooker's,  five  sons  and  four  daughters;  here,  also,  resided 
Rev.  Solomon  Williams,  having,  at  least,  three  sons  and  sev- 
eral daughters.  The  question  arises,  what  became  of  the 
boys  reared  in  these  families?  Cannot  speak  particularly  of 
each  one,  but  will  say  in  general,  two  of  them  became  emi- 
nent theologians  and  presidents  of  colleges,  Yale  and  Union, 
whose  writings  have  been  extensively  read  on  both  sides  of 
the  Atlantic.  Five  of  these  boys  became  ministers;  three  of 
the  five  were  pioneer  preachers  and  pastors  in  three  different 
states.  Three  entered  the  medical  profession.  Four,  per- 
haps more,  were  quite  eminent  as  lawyers;  at  least  two  of 
the  four  afterwards  served  as  judges  on  the  bench.  Two 
were  members  of  the  Continental  Congress.  One  was  a 
United  States  Senator.  Two  were  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress. One  founded  a  newspaper,  first  at  Albany,  and  after- 
wards at  New  York  City.  Two,  perhaps  more,  were  mer- 
chants, who,  by  their  judgment  and  enterprise,  and  a  favoring 
Providence,  acquired  large  fortunes,  and  became  benefactors 
to  various   benevolent   societies,  and   institutions  of  learning. 

One  served  for  a  long  series  of  years,  as  one  of  the  Pruden- 
24 


214  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

tial  Committee  of  the  American  Board.  One  was  deacon  of 
the  first  church  in  Springfield,  active  in  the  religious  and 
benevolent  movements  of  that  city,  county,  and  the  Common- 
wealth, an  early  and  efficient  member  of  the  Corporation  of 
Amherst  College,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  American 
Board.  One  wrote  a  geography,  which  had  an  extensive  cir- 
culation. One  was  a  highly  esteemed  bank  president.  At 
least  two  attained  the  rank  of  major,  and  one  adjutant  gen- 
eral in  the  army  of  the  revolution,  and  three  were  chaplains 
in  the  same.  So  much  for  a  single  neighborhood,  on  King 
street,  in  the  last  century. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

NORTHAMPTON    LADIES    WHO    MARRIED    MINISTERS. 

First.  Abigail  Strong,  daughter  of  Elder  John  Strong. 
Married  in  1673,  to  Rev.  Nathaniel  Chauncey,  of  Hatfield, 
with  whom  she  lived  till  his  decease,  in  1685.  She  was  the 
mother  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  Chauncey,  pastor  for  sixty  years 
in  Durham,  Ct.,  a  profound  divine,  solid  and  judicious  in 
his  preaching,  the  influence  of  whose  life  and  ministry  could 
be  traced  at  Hartland,  Ct.,  Greenfield,  Mass.,  Durham,  N. 
Y.,  where  people  settled  who  had  been  under  his  pastoral 
care.  He  owned  a  large  and  valuable  library.  His  mother, 
Mrs.  Abigail  Strong  Chauncey,  married  in  1686,  Dea.  Medad 
Pomeroy,  of  Northampton. 

Second.  Esther  Warham  Mather.  Already  described  as 
a  remarkable  woman  individually  and  relatively.  Origi- 
nally from  Windsor,  Ct.  Married  Rev.  Eleazar  Mather, 
the  first  Northampton  pastor,  with  whom  she  lived  eleven 
years,  till  1669.  Five  years  after,  having  resided  in  town 
sixteen  years,  she  married,  1674,  the  second  pastor.  Rev. 
Solomon  Stoddard.  They  lived  together  fifty-five  years, 
1674-1729.  She  survived  him  till  1736.  For  seventy-seven 
years,  she  was  the  first  and  only  minister's  wife  known  in  the 
community.  A  woman  of  rare  intellect  and  character,  the 
honored  mother  of  fifteen  children.  Several  of  her  daugh- 
ters, who  married  clergymen,  will  come  under  distinct  notice. 


216  ANTIQUITIES    AXD    HISTORICALS. 

Third.  Eunice  Mather,  only  daughter  of  Eev.  Eleazar 
Mather,  married  in  1680,  Rev.  John  Williams,  of  Deerfield. 
She  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  when  that  town  was  destroyed, 
in  1704;  the  mother  of  seven  sons  and  two  daughters. 
Three  of  the  sons,  Eleazar,  Stephen,  Warham,  stood  high  in 
the  ministry.  Warham  studied  theology  with  his  grandfather 
Stoddard,  and  became  the  minister  of  Watertown,  West  Pre- 
cinct, now  Waltham.  One  of  the  daughters  married  Rev. 
Joseph  Meacham,  Coventry,  Ct. 

Fourth.  Katharine  Chauncey,  daughter  of  Rev.  Nathan- 
iel and  Abigail  Strong  of  Hatfield,  afterwards  of  North- 
ampton, married,  in  1694,  Rev.  Daniel  Brewer,  who  died 
at  Springfield  in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  marriage  and  min- 
istry. Chauncey  Brewer,  M.  D.,  Avho  died  at  Springfield 
in  1830,  aged  eighty-seven,  was  probably  a  grandson  of  the 
foregoing. 

Fifth.  Esther  Stoddard,  second  daughter  of  Rev.  Solo- 
mon and  Esther  Mather,  married,  in  1694,  to  Rev.  Timo- 
thy Edwards,  of  East  Windsor,  Ct.  He  graduated  at 
at  Harvard,  July  4th,  1691,  and  received  the  same  day 
the  degree  of  A.  B.  in  the  morning,  and  of  A.  M.  in 
the  afternoon,  an  uncommon  mark  of  respect  paid  to  his 
great  proficiency  in  learning.  She  was  distinguished  by 
superior  mental  powers,  by  intellectual  acquirements  of  a 
high  order,  and  by  deep  piety.  She  received,  it  is  said, 
a  superior  education  in  Boston,  was  fond  of  books,  famil- 
iar with  the  best  theological  writers.  They  lived  together 
sixty-three  years.  Number  of  their  children,  eleven,  all  of 
them  daughters  except  one,  the  distinguished  Jonathan. 
With  the  assistance  of  his  wife,  he  fitted  them  all  for  col- 
lege, giving  to  each  of  the  girls  the  same  careful  drill  in 
Latin  and  other    preparatory    studies    which    their    son    re- 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         217 

ceived.  Her  influence  in  the  town  was  extensive,  and  de- 
scended to  subsequent  generations.  She  attained  her  ninety- 
ninth  year,  and  showed  the  same  mental  vigor  to  the  last. 
Sixth.  Mary  Stoddard,  sister  of  the  preceding,  the  old- 
est daughter  of  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  married,  in  1695, 
Rev.  Stephen  Mix,  for  forty-four  years  pastor  of  Newing- 
ton  Parish  in  Wethersfield,  Ct.  Six  children.  Among  the 
grandchildren  stands  the  name  of  Stephen  Mix  Mitchell,  an 
eminent  lawyer  in  Wethersfield,  who  lived  to  be  ninety-one, 
judge  of  the  Superior  Court;  also,  from  1807-14,  chief  jus- 
tice, elected  member  of  Congress,  and  senator.  Among  the 
great-grandchildren  was  Alfred  Mitchell,  minister  of  Norwich, 
Ct.,  a  man  of  intellectual  power,  yet  modest  and  retiring, 
some  of  whose  last  words  were,  ^^The  will  of  the  Lord  be 
done."  The  following,  quite  a  curiosity  of  the  kind,  handed 
down  in  the  family,  and  not  long  ago  given  to  the  public, 
relating  to  a  matrimonial  correspondence  of  those  early  times, 
will  interest  many.  Rev.  Stephen  Mix  visited  Rev.  Solomon 
Stoddard  and  proposed  marriage  to  his  eldest  daughter,  Mary. 
Her  answer,  after  several  weeks'  consideration,  is  in  the  fol- 
lowing letter,  remarkable  for  brevity: 

Northampton,  1695. 

Rev.  Stephen  Mix:  Yes.  Mary  Stoddard. 

Their  marriage  followed  in  a  few  weeks. 

Seventh.  Christina  Stoddard,  third  daughter  of  Rev.  Sol- 
omon Stoddard,  married,  in  1699,  Rev.  William  Williams, 
minister  of  Hatfield,  a  cousin  of  Rev.  John  Williams  of 
Deerfield.  Both  graduated  in  1683,  in  a  class  of  three,  at 
Harvard.  She  was  his  second  wife.  They  were  the  parents 
of  five  children,  one  of  them.  Rev.  Solomon,  of  Lebanon, 
Ct.,  was  grandfather   of   Rev.    Solomon    Williams   of  North- 


218  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

ampton.  Continued  minister  of  Hatfield  fifty-five  years. 
Exerted  a  wide  influence  by  his  ministry  and  life.  She  sur- 
viyed  him  twenty-three  years,  and  lived  to  be  eighty-seven. 
Edwards,  who  preached  at  his  funeral,  says  of  his  sermons: 
^^They  were  all  wise  and  solid.  His  words  were  none  of 
them  vain,  but  all  were  weighty.  A  man  of  more  than 
common  abilities." 

Eighth.  Sarah  Stoddard,  the  fourth  daughter  of  the  same 
family,  married,  in  1707,  Rev.  Samuel  Whitman  of  Farming- 
ton,  Ct.  After  graduating,  he  taught  a  grammar  school  at 
Salem,  Mass.  Forty-five  years  pastor  of  the  Farmington 
church.  Four  children.  One  of  them,  Elnathan,  a  graduate 
of  Yale  in  1726,  sustained  the  pastoral  relation  to  the  Second 
Church  in  Hartford  from  1732  to  1776.  A  daughter  married 
Kev.  Thomas  Strong  of  Northampton,  minister  at  New  Marl- 
borough, Berkshire  county.  Rev.  Dr.  Lansing,  of  New  York 
City  and  elsewhere,  married  a  descendant  of  the  foregoing. 

Ninth.  Hannah  Stoddard,  the  sixth  daughter  and  twelfth 
child  of  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  married,  about  1712,  Rev. 
William  Williams  of  Weston,  Mass.,  a  native  of  Hatfield. 
Eight  children,  three  sons  and  five  daughters.  One  of  the 
daughters  married  Rev.  Joseph  Buckminister  of  Rutland, 
Mass.  Rev.  Joseph  Buckminister,  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
was  their  son,  and  Rev.  Joseph  S.  of  Boston,  their  grandson. 
Like  his  father  of  Hatfield,  the  Rev.  William  Williams,  of 
Weston,  was  an  eminent  preacher,  whose  praise  was  in  all 
the  churches  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  A  sermon  of 
his  is  still  extant  on  the  death  of  Dea.  Caleb  Lyman,  of 
Weston,  one  of  the  sons  of  Northampton,  who  early  went  to 
Boston;  one  of  the  thirteen,  who  in  1712,  organized  the 
New  North  Church  in  that  citv,  one  of  the  first  deacons  in 
it,  who,  at  his  decease,  left  a  legacy  of  £500  for  the  use  of 
the  pastors  of  the  church  and  their  widows. 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES  WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        219 

Tenth.  Sarah  Chauncey,  daughter  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  and 
Abigail  Strong  Chauncey,  afterwards  Mrs.  Dea.  Medad  Pom- 
eroy,  married,  in  1712,  Eev.  Samuel  Whittlesey,  of  Walling- 
ford,  Ct.,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  preachers  in  the 
region  where  he  lived.  An  obituary,  published  in  a  Boston 
paper  soon  after  his  decease,  in  1752,  closes  as  follows  : 
^^Thus  died  Samuel,  the  prophet,  full  of  days  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  after  he  had  long  and  faithfully  served  his  generation, 
he  fell  asleep,  was  gathered  to  his  fathers,  and  all  Israel 
lamented  him."  Eight  children;  two  of  the  sons  were  min- 
isters. 

Eleventh.  Dorothy  Hawley,  the  second  daughter  of  Capt. 
Joseph  Hawley,  who  came  to  Northampton  the  same  year  he 
graduated  at  Harvard,  in  1674,  then  only  nineteen.  See 
homestead  number  fifty-four.  She  married,  in  1716,  Rev. 
Samuel  Cheney,  the  first  minister  of  Brookfield.  Her  older 
and  only  sister,  Lydia,  married,  in  1702,  Capt.  Henry  Dwight, 
of  Hatfield,  the  first  of  the  five  Dwights  of  Hampshire 
county,  who  at  different  times,  sat  as  justices  on  the  bench 
of  the  Court  of   Common  Pleas. 

Twelfth.  Martha  Hunt,  daughter  of  Lieut.  Jonathan 
Hunt,  who  built,  in  1724,  on  the  Judge  Henshaw  place, 
the  grandfather  of  Madam  Henshaw.  See  homestead  num- 
ber twenty-five.  She  married,  in  1725,  Rev.  Thomas  White, 
of  Bolton,  Ct.,  the  first  minister  settled  there.  Officiated 
as  pastor  of  that  church  thirty-eight  years,  1725-63.  He 
fitted  young  men  for  college.  One  of  these,  a  native  of 
Bolton,  was  the  celebrated  Dr.  Lathrop,  for  sixty-three 
years  minister  at  West  Springfield,  a  patriarch  in  his  day 
among  the  Congregational  churches,  highly  esteemed  and 
widely  known. 

Thirteenth.      Naomi   Strong,   one   of    Ebenezer,    Jr.'s   thir- 


220  AN"TIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

teen  children,  his  eighth  daughter,  married,  in  1742,  Rev. 
Abraham  Hill,  of  Shutesbury,  a  native  of  Cambridge,  grad- 
uated at  Harvard  in  1737,  in  a  class  of  thirty-four.  Or- 
dained at  Shutesbury  in  1742;  minister  thirty-six  years  until 
1778.  Lived  ten  years  longer,  and  died  at  Oxford  in  1788, 
nearly  seventy.  The  eight  daughters  of  Ebenezer  Strong, 
Jr.,  the  third  in  succession  of  the  famous  race  of  tanners, 
were   all   married,    six   of    them   to   Northampton    men. 

Fourteenth.  Silence  Sheldon,  daughter  of  Capt.  Jona- 
than Sheldon,  married,  in  1743,  Rev.  Jonathan  Judd,  orig- 
inally and  for  ten  years  pastor  of  the  Second  Precinct  of 
Northampton,  afterwards  Southampton;  minister  of  that 
church  sixty  years.  A  descendant  of  Dea.  Thomas  Judd, 
who  died  in  Northampton,  on  what  is  now  Pleasant  street, 
in  1688.  Rev.  Jonathan  and  Silence  Sheldon  had  four 
sons,    each   over  six   feet  in   height. 

Fifteenth.  Martha  Hunt,  daughter  of  the  third,  usually 
called  Oapt.  Jonathan,  on  Elm  street,  married,  in  1748, 
Rev.  Stephen  Williams,  Jr.,  of  Woodstock,  Ct.,  where  he 
lived  as  minister  nearly  fifty  years;  one  of  three  brothers, 
grandsons  of  Rev.  John  Williams,  of  Deerfield,  all  de- 
scribed as  highly  respectable  preachers.  Martha  Hunt  Wil- 
liams was  niece  of  the  Martha  Hunt  who  married  Rev. 
Thomas   White,    of    Bolton,    Ct. 

Sixteenth.  Sarah  Burt  married  Rev.  Noah  Baker,  son 
of  the  first  Capt.  John  Baker,  much  in  public  life,  who 
built  the  John  Whittlesey  house,  at  that  time,  1712,  the 
farthest  house  west,  on  Elm  street.  Capt.  John's  first 
nine  children  were  all  sons.  Noah,  born  m  1719,  was  the 
fifth.  All  are  mentioned  as  over  six  feet  in  height,  large 
framed,  and  very  good  men.  Noah  became  a  Baptist  min- 
ister,  lived   and  preached   in  Sunderland.      Time  of  his  mar- 


NORTHAMPTOIT   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        221 

riage  to  Sarah  Burt  not  ascertained,  probably  not  later 
than  1750.  They  lived  together  till  1790,  and  had  nine 
children.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-one,  older  than  any  of 
his   eight   brothers. 

Seventeenth.  Martha  Clark,  daughter  of  Samuel  Clark, 
Jr.  This  was  the  Samuel  Clark,  grandson  of  Lieut.  William 
Clark.  When,  in  1683,  the  twelve  acre  homestead  of  Lieut. 
William  was  divided  between  his  two  sons,  John  and  Samuel, 
John  received  the  southern  portion  and  Samuel  the  northern. 
See  homestead  number  fifty-five.  Samuel,  Jr.,  born  the  same 
year  of  the  division,  lived  on  the  northern  portion.  Some 
of  his  children  and  grandchildren  also  lived  there  till  about 
the  commencement  of  this  century.  Martha  Clark  married, 
first,  Daniel  Strong,  brother  of  Job,  the  minister,  sons  of 
Nathaniel,  on  Hawley  street.  He  lived  only  two  years  after 
their  marriage.  In  1750,  she  married  Rev.  John  Woodbridge, 
of  South  Hadley.  Number  of  their  children,  five.  A  de- 
scendant, seventy-seven  years  of  age,  speaks  of  these  five 
**as  above  the  ordinary  standard  of  talents,  especially  fond 
of  theological  disputation  in  which  it  was  always  difficult  to 
conquer  them."  They  were  hard  nuts  to  crack,  and  all  mem- 
bers of  Congregational  churches.  One  of  the  five,  ^neas, 
**old  uncle  Enos,"  is  described  as  the  oddest  man  that  ever 
lived.  In  dress,  speech,  and  conduct,  humorously  peculiar. 
He  never  said  yes  or  no,  or  used  ordinary  names  from  about 
his  fifteenth  year.  The  South  Hadley  Rev.  John  Wood- 
bridge  was  the  ninth  of  that  name,  all  ministers  and  all  re- 
lated to  each  other  as  ancestor  and  descendant.  He  was  the 
father  of  Sylvester,  the  physician  of  Southampton,  and  grand- 
father of  Rev.  John  Woodbridge,  D.D.,  of   Hadley. 

Eighteenth.      Esther  Edwards,  daughter  of    Rev.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  the  third  of    the    eight    daughters   of   that    family, 
25 


222  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

born  Feb.  13tb,  1732,  on  King  street.  She  married,  in  1752, 
Kev.  Aaron  Burr,  pastor  for  ten  years  at  Newark,  N.  J., 
afterwards  president  of  Princeton  College.  They  lived  to- 
gether six  years,  only  twenty-six  at  her  death,  in  1758,  the 
same  year  her  father  and  mother  died.  President  and  Mrs. 
Burr  had  two  children,  a  son  and  daughter.  The  daughter, 
Sarah,  married  Judge  Reeve,  of  Litchfield,  Ct.,  at  the  head 
of  the  Law  School  in  that  town;  also,  chief  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  of  Connecticut.  The  son,  Aaron  Burr,  a 
lawyer,  and  Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  was  in 
character  quite  unlike  his  father  and  mother.  He  fought 
a  duel  with  Alexander  Hamilton.  Died  in  1836,  aged  eighty, 
honored  by  no  one.  "  Everybody  remembered  that  he  killed 
Alexander  Hamilton." 

Another  daughter  of  Mr.  Edwards,  Jerusha,  so  to  speak 
one  of  the  historical  characters  of  the  town,  deserves  to  be 
mentioned  in  this  connection.  She  was  the  second  of  the 
eight  daughters,  born  in  1730,  and  engaged  to  Rev.  David 
Brainerd,  a  successful,  highly  esteemed  missionary  to  the 
Indians  in  New  Jersey.  His  last  sickness  occurred  at  her 
father's,  during  which,  from  July  25th  to  Oct.  9th,  she  min- 
istered to  his  wants.  She  survived  him  only  about  four 
months,  and  died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith  at  the  early  age 
of  seventeen,  and  was  buried  at  his  side.  Having  introduced 
the  foregoing  respecting  Brainerd,  it  may  be  proper  to  state 
as  an  item  of  history,  that  at  his  funeral,  in  Northamj^ton, 
on  Monday,  the  12th  of  October,  1747,  much  respect  was 
shown  to  his  memory.  The  occasion  was  one  of  unusual 
solemnity.  Eight  of  the  neighboring  ministers  were  in  at- 
tendance; seventeen  others  who  had  received  a  liberal  educa- 
tion, and  a  great  concourse  of  people. 

Nineteenth.     Jerusha,  daughter  of  the  first  Benjamin  Shel- 


KORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MI]!5"ISTERS.         223 

don,  father  of  six  daughters.  Five  were  married,  one  to 
Capt.  William  Lyman,  another  to  Qiiartns  Pomeroy,  another 
to  Joseph  Lyman,  Jr.,  father  of  Judge  Joseph,  another  to 
Benjamin  Parsons;  prominent  names  these  in  the  community. 
Jerusha,  the  seventh  child,  married  Rev.  Richard  Ely.  He 
was  ordained  and  installed  the  same  year  of  his  marriage, 
1757,  at  North  Madison,  then  Guilford,  Ct.  Eight  children. 
Two  of  their  sons  graduated  at  Yale.  Two  of  their  daugh- 
ters married  physicians,  one  married  a  minister.  One  son, 
William  Ely,  an  East  India  shipper,  commanded  his  vessel 
on  several  voyages.  Of  three  of  their  grandsons,  two  en- 
tered the  ministry.  The  third,  besides  being  a  tutor  at 
Yale,  settled  as  a  lawyer  in  Providence.  The  above  Rev. 
Richard   and  Jerusha  lived   together  forty-four  years. 

Twentieth.  Mary  Hunt,  daughter  of  Capt.  Jonathan 
Hunt,  the  third  in  succession  of  that  name,  married,  in 
1768,  Rev.  Benjamin  Mills,  first  minister  of  Chesterfield. 
They  were  the  parents  of  Hon.  Elijah  Hunt  Mills,  United 
States  Senator,  also  with  Judge  Howe  at  the  head  of  the 
Northampton  Law  School.  Senator  Mills'  wife  survived 
him  fifty-two  years,  and  attained  the  age  of  ninety.  Their 
daughter,  Sarah,  married,  in  1833,  Prof.  Benjamin  Pierce, 
recently  deceased,  for  almost  fifty  years  professor  in  Harvard 
College.  One  of  their  sons,  James  Mills  Pierce,  has  been 
professor  in   the   same   institution   since   1869. 

Twenty-first.  Martha  Strong,  daughter  of  the  first  Caleb. 
She  was  the  seventh  in  a  family  of  twelve,  her  brother. 
Gov.  Caleb,  being  the  fifth.  Her  sister,  Dorothy,  the 
eleventh  child,  married  Judge  Samuel  Hinckley.  Martha 
Strong  married,  in  1773,  Rev.  and  Col.  Ebenezer  Mosely. 
He  graduated  at  Yale  in  1763.  In  September,  1767,  ordained 
a  missionary  among  the  Western  Indians,  the  Six  Nations,  so 


224  ANTIQUITIES    AITD    HISTORICALS. 

called.  He  afterwards  returned  and  became  a  merchant  in 
Hampton,  Ct.  As  captain  of  a  military  company,  fought  un- 
der Gen.  Putnam,  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  afterwards 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Colonel.  For  thirty  years,  with  few 
intermissions,  represented  his  native  town  in  the  Connecticut 
Legislature.  She  survived  him  two  years.  Their  son,  Hon. 
Ebenezer  Mosely,  a  lawyer  in  large  practice  in  Newburyport, 
received  into  his  ofiQce,  as  law  students,  many  young  men, 
among  them  the  celebrated  Caleb  Cushing,  Eev.  John  Pier- 
pont  the  poet,  and  Gov.  Dunlap  of   Maine. 

Twenty-second.  Beulah  Clapp,  the  tenth  child  in  a  fam- 
ily of  eleven.  Her  father,  Jonathan  Clapp,  born  on  South 
street,  became  one  of  the  earliest,  most  energetic  of  the  set- 
tlers at  Easthampton.  She  married,  in  1774,  Solomon  Allen. 
See  homestead  number  forty-seven.  See  also.  Deacons  in 
Early  Times  in  Northampton,  twenty- third.  Having  spoken 
of  Solomon  Allen  as  an  ofiBcer  in  the  Eevolution,  as  a  dea- 
con in  the  First  Church,  as  a  minister  in  Western  New 
York  during  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life,  it  will  suffice 
to  say  that  towards  the  last  of  his  days,  on  returning  to  his 
children  at  the  East,  his  parting  with  his  church  at  Brighton, 
N.  Y.,  was  like  the  parting  of  Paul  with  the  elders  of  the 
church  of  Ephesus.  Many  of  the  members  accompanied  him 
to  the  boat,  and  tears  were  shed  and  prayers  offered  on  the 
shore  of  Lake  Ontario  as  on  the  sea  coast  of  Asia  Minor. 
Even  the  passengers  on  the  boat,  witnessing  the  scene,  could 
not  refrain  from  weeping.  It  proved  the  last  interview  be- 
tween the  aged,  greatly  beloved  pastor,  and  a  dee^^ly  attached 
people. 

Twenty-third  Eachel  Lyman,  daughter  of  Capt.  William 
Lyman,  who  was  born  on  Pleasant  street,  on  the  ancient 
family  homestead  of   Theodore    Lyman.      Of   eight    children. 


NORTHAMPTON"   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         225 

Eachel  was  the  oldest,  Gen.  William,  who  served  through 
the  Eevolutionary  war,  being  the  second.  Esq.  Levi,  at  one 
time  a  cashier,  afterward  register  of  deeds,  being  the  sixth. 
She  married  Kev.  Noah  Atwater,  a  native  of  New  Haven. 
Graduated  at  Yale  in  1774.  Tutor  there  three  years,  1778- 
81 ;  ordained  at  Westfield  in  1781,  this  probably  being  the 
year  of  their  marriage.  As  a  student  of  unusual  ability,  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  he  graduated  from  Yale  with  the  first 
honors  of  his  class.  The  last  sermon  he  preached,  Novem- 
ber, 1801,  was  on  the  twentieth  anniversary  of  his  ordination. 
Dr.  Lathrop,  of  West  Springfield,  preached  his  funeral  ser- 
mon, and  characterized  him  as  having  *'a  capacious  mind, 
as  a  wise  counsellor  in  the  churches,  remarkably  tender  of 
character."  Worthy  of  being  written  in  letters  of  gold,  his 
advice  to  his  only  son,  showing  uncommon  practical  wisdom. 
**  Always  speak  and  w\^lk  and  act  naturally.  Be  always  wise, 
kind,  mild  and  condescending;  and  yet,  keep  at  a  proper 
distance  from  all  improper  intimacies." 

Twenty-fourth.  Mary  Hooker,  daughter  of  Eev.  John 
Hooker,  the  fourth  minister.  She  was  the  oldest  of  nine 
children.  Married,  in  1779,  Rev.  Solomon  Wiiliams,  her 
father's  successor.  Lived  with  her  husband  fifty-five  years, 
attained  her  eighty-sixth  year,  and  always  lived  in  the  same 
house.  Two  of  her  sisters,  Sarah  and  Lucy,  were  wives  of 
United  States  Senators.  One  of  her  brothers  was  a  lawyer 
and  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas;  another  was  long 
a  physician  in  Westhampton.  One  of  her  daughters  married 
a  minister,  afterwards  an  editor,  viz. :  Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt, 
of  New  York  City.  Another  daughter  still  lives  on  the 
homestead.  Her  oldest  child,  born  in  1780,  was  the  time- 
honored  President  of  the  Northampton  National  Bank,  Hon. 
Eliphalet  Williams. 


226  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

Twenty-fifth.  Eunice  Lyman.  Her  mother,  Thankful, 
was  the  youngest  of  Major  Ebenezer  Pomeroy's  nine  children. 
Her  father,  Gad  Lyman,  was  the  youngest  of  Lieut.  John's 
ten  childen,  all  born  at  South  Farms.  Mention  has  already 
been  made  of  Gad  Lyman's  removal,  late  in  life,  to  Goshen. 
His  daughter,  Eunice,  born  in  1747,  married  Rev.  Mr.  Mills. 
Where  they  were  married,  the  date,  Mr.  Mills'  first  name  and 
2)lace  of   residence,  are  points  not  known  to  the  writer. 

Twenty-sixth.  Catharine  Sheldon,  daughter  of  Elias 
Sheldon,  on  Bridge  street.  She  was  the  sister  of  the  late 
Isaac  and  of  Caleb,  Avho  lived  and  died  in  Chesterfield.  Her 
mother,  also  Catharine,  was  from  Bernardston,  daughter  of 
Caleb  Chapin,  Jr.  She  married  at  her  home  on  Bridge 
street.  Rev.  Eli  Smith.  Date  of  the  marriage,  it  is  supposed, 
about  1786.  Place  of  residence  not  given.  She  died  early 
in  her  married  life.  Their  only  son,  Eli,  liberally  educated, 
entered  the  ministry,  went  South,  settled  in  Kentucky,  be- 
came celebrated  in  that  State  as  a  preacher.  She  was  aunt 
of  Rev.  George  Sheldon,  D.D.,  of   Princeton,  N.  J. 

Twenty-seventh.  Anne  Parsons,  daughter  and  sixth  child 
of  Noah  Parsons,  Jr.,  and  Pliebe  Bartlett,  born  and  reared 
near  the  bridge  in  South  street,  in  the  house  now  occupied 
by  Mrs.  Lewis  Parsons.  She  married  for  her  first  husband 
Oliver  Parish,  of  Worthington,  and  for  her  second,  about  the 
year  1800,  Rev.  John  Leland,  minister  of  Peru,  1783-1815. 
Rev.  Dr.  Leland,  professor  in  the  Theological  Seminary, 
Columbia,  S.  C,  was  his  son,  a  very  eloquent  preacher.  A 
sermon  preached  by  him,  thirty  or  forty  years  since,  to  a 
large  congregation  in  the  First  Church,  on  the  words,  **Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?"  made  a  deep  impression  at 
the  time. 

Twenty-eighth.      Lucy  Tappan,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Tap- 


NOETHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        227 

pan,  who  originated  in  Boston,  the  eldest  of  twelve  children 
who  settled  in  Northampton,  in  1769,  as  a  goldsmith,  after- 
ward entered  the  mercantile  business,  under  the  firm  of  Tap- 
pan  &  Whitney.  Whole  number  of  his  children,  ten — six 
sons  and  four  daughters.  Lucy  married.  May  6th,  1802, 
Eev.  John  Pierce,  of  Brookline,  tutor  one  year  at  Harvard, 
1796.  Ordained  at  Brookline  in  1797.  Minister  there  till 
his  death  in  1849.  He  preached  what  is  called  the  Thurs- 
day lecture,  in  Boston,  one  hundred  times,  and  attended  that 
lecture  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-four  times. 
His  vigor,  sprightliness,  and  good  humor  characterized  him 
till  past  three  score  and  ten. 

Twenty-ninth.  Betsey  Pomeroy,  daughter  of  Gains  Pomeroy, 
who  lived  above  Mr.  Hartwell's,  on  Elm  street,  a  descendant 
of  the  fifth  generation  from  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy.  She 
married,  in  1807,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Wright,  a  native  of  North- 
ampton, son  of  Dea.  Enos  and  Elizabeth,  on  Bridge  street. 
After  graduating  from  Williams  College,  in  1805,  he  studied 
for  the  ministry  with  Rev.  Dr.  Lyman,  of  Hatfield.  Pre- 
vious to  1808,  the  year  Andover  Theological  Seminary  opened 
its  doors  and  admitted  its  first  class,  young  men  in  New 
England,  having  the  ministry  in  view,  studied  theology  with 
some  prominent  pastor.  The  Hampshire  Missionary  Society, 
a  valuable  organization  of  those  early  times,  received  Rev. 
Mr.  Wright  under  their  patronage.  From  1809  to  1814,  the 
period  of  his  ministerial  career,  he  preached  in  St.  Lawrence 
county,  'N.  Y.  At  this  latter  date,  in  the  midst  of  his  use- 
fulness, he  deceased,  at  Russell,  N.  Y.,  in  the  thirty-sixth 
year  of  his  age,  leaving  a  son,  William  K.,  and  also  a 
daughter. 

Before  passing  to   the   next,    it    may   be    added   that    Mrs. 
Betsey  Pomeroy  Wright  married,  for  her  second   husband,  in 


228  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

1815,  Eev.  Abel  Cutler,  a  native  of  Sudbury.  Regarded  one 
of  the  best  scholars  in  his  class  at  Williams  College.  His 
commencement  oration  in  1807,  on  the  Misapplication  of 
Talent,  well  spoken,  won  much  applause.  Graduated  at 
Andover,  in  the  first  class  which  left  the  seminary,  1810. 
Settled  seventeen  years  at  Yarmouth,  Nova  Scotia,  1816-33. 
Not  settled  afterwards.  For  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life, 
with  health  much  impaired,  he  lived  at  Northampton,  where 
he  died  Feb.  27th,  1859,  aged  seventy-eight. 

Thirtieth.  Asenath  Edwards,  daughter  of  the  third  Na- 
thaniel Edwards,  of  Roberts  Meadow,  married,  in  1811,  Rev. 
Josiah  Clark.  Having  completed  his  collegiate  course, 
he  became  principal  of  the  Leicester  Academy  for  sev- 
eral years,  filling  the  position  to  the  acceptance  of  all 
classes.  From  1818  to  1845,  he  sustained  the  pastoral 
relation  to  the  Congregational  Church  at  Rutland.  It  might 
almost  be  said  of  him  as  was  said  of  the  fourth  North- 
ampton pastor,  ''he  secured  to  such  an  extent  the  love  and 
respect  of  his  people  that  they  were  always  satisfied  to  hear 
him,  and  did  not  care  to  hear  anybody  else."  Whenever 
he  visited  and  preached  in  his  native  town,  such  were  his 
discourses  and  style  of  delivery,  he  was  always  heard  with 
interest  by  the  large  congregation.  The  late  and  estimable 
Professor   Josiah    was   his   son. 

Thirty-first.  Sally  Starkweather,  sister  of  Kingsley,  and 
Martha,  the  wife  of  Hon.  Chauncey  Clark,  children  of 
Charles,  who,  in  October,  1787,  settled  on  South  street. 
She  married  Rev.  James  Sanford,  a  native,  it  is  supposed, 
of  Berkley,  a  graduate,  1812,  of  Brown  University,  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  in  the  same  class  with  his  brother,  Rev. 
John  Sanford.  The  exact  date  of  her  marriage  does  not 
appear,    later,    however,    than    1812.^     At    the    time    of    his 


KORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MIN"ISTERS.        229 

marriage,  he  was  i^reaching  in  Fabius,  N.  Y.  After  leav- 
ing Fabius,  he  located  in  Holland,  Mass.,  where  he  preached 
a  number  of  years.  His  death  occurred  at  Ware,  in  1865, 
one  year  earlier  than  his  brother  John's,  who  resided  in  his 
last  years,  some  ten  or  twelve,  at  Amherst.  Rev.  James 
Sanford  left  several  children.  Addison,  his  eldest  son,  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Ware,  a  successful  business  man,  repre- 
sented the  town  in  the  Legislature.  Was  unwearied  in  his 
kindness  toward  his  aged  parents,  and  did  not  long  survive 
them.  Another  son  still  lives  in  the  same  community.  Rev. 
James  Sanford  was  uncle  of  the  Hon.  John  E.  Sanford, 
speaker  of  the  Mass.  House  of  Representatives.  Mrs.  James 
Sanford  was  aunt  of  Mrs.  Aaron  Breck,  now  of  Lawrence, 
Kansas. 

Thirty-second.  Elizabeth  Tappan,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
Tappan  the  merchant,  also  a  j)^triot  of  the  revolution,  a 
man  of  steadfast  principle,  who  brought  up  his  large  family 
in  the  ways  of  integrity.  She  married,  in  1817,  Rev.  Alex- 
ander Phoenix,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  who,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  graduated  at  Columbia  College,  New  York  City, 
in  1795.  He  lived  at  Northampton  several  years,  and  settled 
in  the  ministry  at  Chicopee.  She  survived  their  marriage 
only  about  two  years,  and  deceased,  universally  esteemed,  in 
1819. 

Thirty-third.      Sally   Williams,    daughter   of    Rev.  Solomon 

Williams,    minister    of  the    town,    1779-1834.      Died    in    his 

eighty-third  year,  wrote  and  published   in    1815,    a   historical 

sketch  of  Northampton,  copies  of  which  now  are  quite   rare. 

She  married,  in  1821,  Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt,  a  native  of  Heath, 

son  of   Col.    Roger.      Having   graduated,    1814,    at    Yale,    he 

studied  law  at  Northampton  with  Gov.  Strong,    and  his  son, 

Lewis  Strong.      Admitted  there  to  the  bar,  to  practice  as  an 
26 


230  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

attorney,  in  1819,  and  settled  in  his  profession  at  Putney, 
Vt.,  this  being  the  native  place  of  his  son,  Rev.  William  S. 
Subsequently  relinquished  legal  practice  and  entered  the  min- 
istry; preached  one  of  his  first  sermons  in  Northampton. 
Studied  theology  at  Yale  Theological  Seminary,  and  settled 
in  1824  at  Stratford,  Ct.,  where  he  preached  four  years. 
Not  settled  afterwards  as  a  pastor.  Occupied  the  editorial 
chair  from  1828,  for  about  forty-five  years,  first  in  connection 
with  the  Sailors'  Magazine;  next  with  the  Evangelist,  then 
with  the  Emancipator,  and  lastly  with  the  Independent,  all 
published  in  New  York  City.  He  died  Jan.  16th,  1873. 
She  survived  him  five  years.  They  lived  together  fifty-two 
years. 

Thirty-fourth.  Clarissa  Lyman,  daughter  of  Esq,  Levi  Ly- 
man. She  married,  in  1822,  Rev.  William  Richards,  a  native 
of  Plainfield.  Converted  in  early  life,  he  decided  about  the 
time  of  entering  college,  1815,  to  follow  the  example  of  his 
brother  James,  and  become  a  foreign  missionary.  Seven 
years  later,  in  1822,  he  received  ordination  at  New  Haven,  a 
few  weeks  previous  to  his  going  abroad.  The  next  sixteen 
years,  partly  owing  to  his  earnest  agency,  showed  rich  results 
at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  In  1838,  became  associated  with 
the  government  as  the  King's  adviser.  Went  on  an  embassy, 
1842-45,  to  the  United  States,  to  England  and  France,  which 
proved  very  successful.  In  1846,  became  Minister  of  Public 
Instruction,  Councillor,  and  Chaplain  to  the  King.  Deceased 
through  over  labor  in  1847.  His  widow  survived  him  nine 
years.  Whole  number  of  their  children,  eight.  A  son,  Wil- 
liam, went  as  a  missionary  to  China  in  1847.  Four  years 
later,  1851,  he  died  on  his  homeward  passage.  Two  other 
sons  graduated  at  Amherst.  A  daughter  married  Professor 
W.  S.  Clark  of  Amherst  College,  afterwards  president  of  the 
Agricultural  Institution. 


NORTHAMPTOJ^^   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         231 

Thirty-fifth.  Sarah  Ann  Wait  Hopkins,  oldest  child  of 
John  Hopkins,  formerly  Capt.  John,  son  of  Kev.  Samuel 
and  Sarah  Porter,  of  Hadley,  a  trader  in  his  native  town, 
afterwards  in  Boston,  moved,  about  1824,  to  Northampton; 
built  on  King  street,  where  he  deceased  in  1842.  Seven 
children.  Two  of  the  seven  entered  the  ministry.  One  died 
while  a  member  at  Yale.  Another,  Lewis,  became  a  physi- 
cian; now  at  Bridgewater.  Sarah  Ann  married,  in  1822, 
Rev.  John  Wheeler,  D.D.  Graduated  at  Andover,  in  1819, 
in  a  class  containing  several  distinguished  names,  viz. :  Hi- 
ram Bingham,  Cyrus  Byington,  Orville  Dewey,  Louis  Dwight, 
Jonas  King,  Abner  Morse,  Worthington  Smith,  Aaron  War- 
ner of  Northampton,  and  others  of  equal  note.  Rev.  John 
Wheeler  sustained  the  relation  of  pastor  to  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  Windsor,  Vt.,  twelve  years,  1821-33.  Presi- 
dent of  Vermont  University  sixteen  years,  1833-49.  A  su- 
perior scholar,  gifted  as  a  preacher,  heard  with  attention 
whenever  he  preached  in  Northampton.  One  thing  may  be 
added  respecting  Capt.  John  Hopkins,  viz. :  his  connection 
by  parentage,  ancestry,  and  otherwise  with  some  twenty-five 
clergymen,  the  Springs,  Worcesters,  Riddells,  Dr.  Emmons 
of  Franklin,  Dr.  Austin  of  Worcester,  and  others.  Several 
of  them  writers  and  theologians  of  great  ability,  widely  and 
favorably  known. 

Thirty-sixth.  Sarah  Strong,  fifth  child  of  Gov.  Caleb 
Strong  and  Sarah  Hooker,  a  younger  sister  of  Hon.  Lewis. 
She  married,  Oct.  28th,  1822,  Rev  Alexander  Phoenix,  al- 
ready mentioned.  See  thirtj^-second  of  this  series.  He  was 
ordained  in  1824  at  Chicopee.  His  classmate  and  intimate 
friend,  Rev.  Dr.  Romeyn,  of  New  York  City,  preached  the 
sermon.  Continued  pastor  of  that  church  eleven  years, 
1824-35.      Resided  next  at  New  Haven,  where   a  son   of   six- 


232  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

teen,  Daniel  Sidney,  deceased  1841,  while  a  member  of  Yale 
College.  He  rea^ched  his  eighty-sixth  year  and  died,  1863, 
at  Harlem,  now  in  New  York  City,  at  the  house  of  his  son- 
in-law,  Edgar  Ketchum,  Esq.,  a  prominent  counsellor-at-law, 
and  treasurer,  after  the  death  of  Lewis  Tappan,  of  the  Amer- 
ican Missionary  Association.  A  man  greatly  beloved  by  those 
who  knew  him,  the  law  of  kindness  being  ever  on  his  lips. 
In  the  language  of  an  acquaintance,  she  possessed  unusual 
sweetness  of  temjDer,  a  spirit  of  radiant  cheerfulness.  They 
lived  together  thirty-four  years,  just  one-half  the  period  of 
her  earthly  existence.     She  deceased  1856,  aged  sixty-eight. 

Thirty-seventh.  Ann  Lyman,  daughter  of  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral William  Lyman,  a  member  of  Congress  from  Hampshire 
county.  Went  in  1805  as  consul  to  London,  where  he  died 
in  1811.  After  that  bereavement,  his  daughters,  five  in  all, 
established  a  flourishing  school  for  young  ladies,  in  Philadel- 
phia, which  continued  for  a  number  of  years.  Ann,  the 
fourth  daughter,  married,  in  1823,  Rev.  Samuel  Sitgraves, 
an  Episcopal  clergyman  of  Easton,  Pa.,  who  died  at  George- 
town, Md.  She  survived  him  a  number  of  years  and  lived 
in  Philadelphia,  where,  not  long  since,  she  deceased.  No 
children.  There  were  only  four  descendants  of  General  Wil- 
liam of   the  third  generation. 

Thirty-eighth.  Jerusha  Lyman,  sister  of  Ann  Lyman. 
See  the  preceding  number,  thirty-seven.  Jerusha  was  the 
oldest  of  the  five  daughters,  and  the  executrix  of  her  father's 
will.  She  married,  about  1825,  Rev.  Jackson  Kemper,  who, 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  graduated,  1809,  at  Columbia  College, 
New  York  City.  When  twenty-three,  entered  the  ministry 
of  the  Episcopal  Church.  After  holding  rectorships  in  Phil- 
adelphia for  twenty  years,  and  one  for  some  time  in  Norwalk, 
Ct.,  appointed  missionary  bishop  of    the    Northwest,    Indiana 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        233 

and  Missouri;  transferred  afterwards,  from  1854  to  1870,  to 
Iowa  and  Wisconsin.  Place  of  residence  at  Delafield,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  closed  his  ministry  in  1870,  having  attained 
his  eighty-second  year.  In  1829,  received  the  honor  of  D.D. 
from  Columbia  College;  subsequently  that  of  LL.  D.  from 
another  institution. 

Thirty-ninth.  Martha  H.  Bates,  the  oldest  daughter  of 
Hon.  Isaac  C.  Bates,  granddaughter  of  Madam  Martha  Hen- 
shaw.  She  married,  in  1829,  Rev.  Fordyce  Mitchell  Hub- 
bard, son  of  Roswell  Hubbard,  on  Bridge  street,  and  brother 
of  John,  who  lives  on  the  homestead.  He  graduated  at 
Williams  College  in  1828,  officiated  there  as  tutor  one  year, 
1831-32.  Professor  of  Latin  in  the  University  of  North 
Carolina.  Minister  of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Hyde  Park, 
N.  Y.  Received  the  honor  of  D.D.  from  Trinity  College, 
Hartford,  Ct.,  in  1860;  also  the  same  from  Columbia  College, 
N.  Y.,  the  same  j^ear.  Residence  at  Raleigh,  N.  C.  Com- 
mencing with  Madam  Henshaw,  there  were  in  her  immediate 
line,  representing  so  many  generations,  five  Martha  Hen- 
shaws,  viz. :  Mrs.  Bates,  Mrs.  Hubbard,  a  daughter  and 
granddaughter. 

Fortieth.  Angeline  Snow,  the  second  of  the  four  or  more 
daughters  of  Ralph,  a  trader  for  many  years  on  Shop  Row. 
The  family  lived  on  Hawley  street.  She  married,  near  1830, 
Rev.  Joseph  Hunt  Breck,  a  native  of  Northampton.  His 
father,  of  the  same  name,  lived  on  King  street,  and  deceased 
1801.  Graduated  at  Yale  in  1818,  and  at  Andover  in  1823, 
in  the  same  class  with  Leonard  Bacon,  D.D.,  of  New  Haven, 
Ordained  the  same  year  a  Home  Missionary.  Preached  in 
Massachusetts,  and  Vermont,  and  in  Ohio,  on  the  Western 
Reserve.  Also  taught  two  years  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  1833-35. 
Having  a  constitution  inadequate  to  ministerial  work,  he  pur- 


234  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

sued  farming  most  of  his  days  at  Newburgli,  near  Cleveland, 
where,  over  four  score,  and  much  esteemed,  he  died  in  June, 
1880. 

Forty-first.  Caroline  Williams  Dwight,  the  fifteenth  child 
of  Major  Josiah  Dwight,  who  came  to  Northampton  from 
Stockbridge,  and  lived  on  Pleasant  street;  associated  for  a 
time  in  the  tanning  business  with  his  brother-in  law.  Col. 
William  Edwards.  In  his  later  years  he  joined  the  church. 
His  daughter,  Caroline,  married,  in  1832,  Rev.  Samuel  Hop- 
kins, a  native  of  Hadley,  oldest  son  of  Capt.  John.  He 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1827,  and  at  Andover  in  1831, 
in  a  class  containing  President  Larabee  of  Middlebury  Col- 
lege, Prof.  Park  of  Andover,  President  Stearns  of  Amherst 
College.  Ordained  the  same  year  at  Montpelier,  Vt.,  and 
pastor  there  till  1835.  Next  settlement  at  Saco,  Maine, 
1836-45.  Lived  at  Northampton,  engaged  as  an  author  in 
literary  pursuits  twenty-one  years,  1845-66,  during  which  he 
2)ublished  several  works.  Afterwards  preached  at  Standish, 
Maine.  Now  at  Milton,  N.  Y.,  on  the  Hudson,  where  Mrs. 
Hopkins  recently  and  suddenly  died,  beloved  by  all.  They 
lived  together  not  quite  fifty  years. 

Forty-second.  Stella  Shepherd,  daughter  of  Levi  Shep- 
herd, who  died  in  1820,  brother  of  Thomas  and  Charles;  the 
three  built  and  resided  on  Eound  Hill,  sons  of  Dr.  Levi,  who 
died  in  1805.  Traded  in  Northampton  as  early  as  1768,  la- 
ter. Dr.  Levi  and  sons  had  a  factory  on  Pleasant  street. 
She  married,  April  25th,  1833,  Rev.  Mark  Haskell  Niles, 
born  at  Deer  Isle,  Maine,  Aug.  18th,  1806;  fitted  for  college 
with  Rev.  Leonard  Withington,  D.D.,  of  Newbury,  Mass. 
Graduated  at  Amherst  in  1830,  in  the  same  class  with  Prof. 
W.  S.  Tyler.  Entered  Princeton  Theological  Seminary  in 
1831.      Ordained  the  next  year   at   South   Hanover,    Indiana, 


KORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MAERIED   MIKISTERS.         335 

where  he  remained  two  years.  Became  professor  of  Ancient 
Languages  in  Hanover  College.  Was  teacher  on  Round  Hill 
one  year  in  Cogswell  and  Bancroft's  school,  acted  as  agent 
for  the  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  preached  at  different  times 
at  Marblehead,  Lowell,  and  Belfast,  Maine,  at  which  last  place 
he  died,  in  1847,  leaving  five  children.  Described  as  an  ex- 
cellent scholar,  especially  in  the  languages  and  Polite  Litera- 
ture. Excelled  as  a  writer.  Gained  notoriety  in  college  by 
a  severe  criticism  of  N.  P.  Willis,  on  the  College  stage. 
Was  distinguished  there  and  ever  after  as  a  staunch  defender 
of  Old  School  Presbyterian  Theology.  Imperfect  health  pre- 
vented his  doing  as  much  in  any  one  direction  as  might 
otherwise  have  been  expected  from  him. 

Forty-third.  Sarah  Holmes  Edwards,  sister  of  Alfred, 
William,  Henry  and  Ogden,  with  others,  children  of  Col. 
William,  already  alluded  to,  who  lived  in  Northampton, 
1790-1816,  often  placed  on  the  Board  of  Selectmen,  and 
whose  wife,  Rebecca  Tappan,  was  daughter  of  Benjamin. 
Their  children,  sons  and  daughters,  were  born  in  North- 
ampton. Sarah  Holmes,  born  in  1810,  married,  in  1834, 
Rev.  John  N.  Lewis,  a  minister  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  who 
died  there  in  1861.  Number  of  their  children,  eight.  She 
survived  him   and  lived   at   West   Farms,    N.  Y. 

Forty-fourth.  Eliza  W.  Butler,  the  oldest  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  Daniel  Butler,  whose  house  and  store  stood  on 
Pleasant  street,  a  younger  brother  of  William,  the  printer, 
originator  and  editor  of  the  Hampshire  Gazette,  first  pro- 
prietor of  the  paper  mill.  See  homestead  number  fifty- 
eight.  Daniel  Butler  established  himself  in  Northampton 
about  the  beginning  of  this  century,  became  identified,  till 
1833,  with  the  paper  mill.  Whole  number  of  his  children, 
at  least,   seven.      Eliza  W.    married,    in   1834,    Rev.    William 


236  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Thompson,  D.D.,  a  native  of  Goshen,  Ct.  Settled  at 
North  Bridgewater,  now  Brockton,  in  1833.  Chosen  Pro- 
fessor, in  1834,  of  Sacred  Literature  in  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  East  Windsor,  Ct. ;  now  at  Hartford,  Ct. 
His  connection  with  the  institution  still  continues.  Their 
son,  William  Augustus,  settled  first  at  Conway,  next  at 
Reading,  has  since  deceased.  They  lived  together  forty- 
five  years.  A  capable,  excellent  woman,  fruitful  in  plans 
and  efforts  for  doing  good,  her  departure  left  a  felt  va- 
cancy in  the  family  and  the  community. 

Forty-fifth.  Julia  Miller.  Probably  a  descendant  of  Wil- 
liam Miller,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  but  the  line  of  her  an- 
cestors, and  her  immediate  parentage,  not  ascertained.  She 
married,  about  1835,  Rev.  Edward  Bosworth,  a  Methodist 
clergyman,  then  preaching  at  South  Hadley  Falls. 

Forty-sixth.  Ann  Maria  Edwards,  born  in  Northampton, 
in  1812,  another  daughter  of  Col.  William  Edwards,  and 
great-granddaughter  of  the  celebrated  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards. 
It  is  related  of  her  father.  Col.  William,  that  he  once  failed 
in  business,  and  afterwards  paid  up  the  old  debts  from  which 
he  was  legally  discharged,  to  the  round  sum  of  125,000.  He 
was  a  decided  friend  of  temperance,  promoted  it  extensively 
among  his  fifty  and  sometimes  one  hundred  workmen;  also 
an  earnest  laborer,  even  in  his  old  age,  in  the  Sabbath-school. 
His  daughter,  Ann  Maria,  married,  in  1836,  Rev.  Edwards 
A.  Park,  Theological  Professor  at  Andover.  For  the  past 
forty-five  years  connected  with  that  seminary.  Their  son, 
William  Edwards  Park,  pastor  for  several  years  of  the  Central 
Church,  Lawrence,  Mass.,  is  now  minister  at  Gloversville,  N. 
Y.  Great-grandson,  by  marriage,  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  see 
an  important  reason  why  Professor  Park  should  undertake, 
as  is  understood,  the  great  work   of   writing   the  life   of   his 


NORTHAMPTON"   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        237 

illustrious  ancestor.      It  will,  no  doubt,    contain    considerable 
Northampton  history. 

Forty-seventh.  Sarah  Stoddard,  daughter  of  Solomon 
Stoddard,  the  second  of  the  same  name  who  took  up  the 
profession  of  law  in  his  native  town.  Both  attained  a  great 
age,  the  first  ninety-one,  the  second  eighty-nine.  This  sec- 
ond Solomon  Stoddard  married  Sarah  Tappan,  daughter  of 
Benjamin.  Number  of  their  children  who  reached  maturity 
and  settled  in  life,  eight — seven  sons  and  one  daughter.  The 
oldest  and  the  youngest  of  the  seven  graduated  at  Yale. 
David,  the  seventh  son,  went  a  missionary  to  Persia.  Sarah, 
the  only  daughter,  married.  May  17th,  1837,  Eev.  Albert 
Smith,  a  native  of  Bennington,  Vt.,  a  graduate  of  Middle- 
bury  College  in  1831,  and  of  Andover  Seminary  in  1835. 
Pastor  at  Willi amstown  from  1836-39.  Professor  of  Lan- 
guages at  Marshall  College,  Penn.,  1839-40.  Professor  of 
Khetoric  and  English  Literature  at  Middlebury,  1840-45. 
Pastor  at  Vernon,  Ct.,  1845-54.  Also  at  Monticello,  111., 
1855  until  1863,  where  he  deceased  in  his  sixtieth  year. 
Their  son.  Rev.  Arthur  Henderson  Smith,  who  graduated  at 
Beloit  College  in  1867,  and  at  Union  Seminary,  N.  Y.,  in 
1870,  has  been  for  several  years  a  missionary  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  in  North  China. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  added  that  the  children  of 
Col.  William  Edwards  and  of  Solomon  Stoddard,  Esq.,  were 
cousins.      The  mothers  were  daughters  of  Benjamin  Tappan. 

Forty-eighth.  Mary  Williams,  daughter  of  Eliphalet  Wil- 
liams, deacon  of  the  First  Church,  and  President  of  the 
Northampton  National  Bank,  and  granddaughter  of  Rev.  Sol- 
omon Williams.  She  married,  Oct.  28th,  1837,  Rev.  John 
Ellery  Tyler,  a  native  of  Portland,  Maine,  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth,  in  1831,  and  of  the  Theological  Institute,  Ct., 
27 


238  ANTIQUITIES    AJ?D    HlSTOHICALS. 

in  1836,  of  which  his  father,  Eev.  Bennett  Tyler,  D.D.,  was 
president.  Settled  at  Windham,  Ct.,  fourteen  years,  1837- 
51.  Resided  in  East  Windsor,  Ct.,  thirteen  years,  1851-64. 
Subsequently  at  Vineland,  N.  J.  Their  daughters  live  in 
Northampton  on  the  homestead  of  their  grandfather  Williams, 
King  street.  The  son,  John  Bennett  Tyler,  is  a  physician  in 
New  York  City. 

Forty-ninth.  Martha  Lyman  was  the  daughter  of  Sylves- 
ter Lyman,  who  lived  on  Bridge  street,  and  died  in  1825. 
His  wife  was  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Moses  Wright,  chosen 
selectman  twelve  times.  They  had  three  children.  Martha, 
the  only  daughter,  was  educated  at  the  Gothic  Seminary, 
celebrated  in  its  day,  of  which  Miss  Margarette  Dwight  was 
Principal.  She  married,  Sept.  25th,  1839,  Eev.  George  Shel- 
don, D.D.,  youngest  son  of  Isaac  Sheldon.  They  had  eight 
children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living.  Their  four  sons  were 
graduated  at  Princeton  College.  Rev.  George  Sheldon  was 
graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1835,  was  a  student  at 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  was  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  of  Presbyterian  Church  at  Summerville,  S.  C,  in  1841, 
where  he  remained  seven  years.  From  1848  to  1881,  about 
one-third  of  a  century,  he  was  District  Superintendent  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  for  the  States  of  New  Jersey  and 
Delaware.     He  deceased  June  16th,  1881,  aged  sixty-seven. 

Fiftieth.  Paulma  Burnell,  sister  of  Calvin  and  Lucy, 
children  of  Joseph,  the  miller,  who  lived  near,  owned  and 
managed  the  upper  mill;  who  served  the  town  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  selectman  nine  years,  between  1824-33.  She  mar- 
ried, Sept.  15th,  1833,  Rev.  Frederick  Janes,  born  in 
Northfield,  in  1808.  Spent  much  of  his  early  life  in  North- 
ampton; pursued  collegiate  studies  at  Yale  and  Amherst, 
but  did  not  graduate.      Taught  some    years    in    connection 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        239 

with  theological  study.  Preached  in  North  Walton  and 
Colchester,  N.  Y.,  from  1837  to  1840.  Installed  pastor  at 
Bernardston,  Nov.  4th,  1840.  Dr.  Wiley,  of  Northampton, 
preached  the  sermon.  Dismissed  in  November,  1843.  Set- 
tled at  Pelham,  1844-45.  Agent  for  three  years  of  the 
American  Protestant  Society.  Next  had  charge  of  a  female 
seminary  one  year  in  Western  New  York.  Resided  several 
years  in  New  York  City,  editing  the  Christian  Parlor  Mag- 
azine. Mrs.  Janes  deceased  Nov.  20th,  1851,  having  had 
four  children.      He   now  resides   in   Philadelphia,    Penn. 

Fifty-first.  Elizabeth  Strong,  daughter  of  Theodore 
Strong,  whose  house  in  1840,  and  later,  stood  at  the  east 
end  of  Shop  Eow.  She  married,  in  1841,  Rev.  Augustus 
C.  Thompson,  D.D.,  brother  of  Professor  William  of  Hart- 
ford Theological  Seminary.  See  number  forty-fifth  of  this 
series.  Educated  partly  at  Yale  and  partly  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Berlin,  Germany.  Graduated  at  the  above  sem- 
inary, when  located  at  East  Windsor,  Ct.,  1838,  where  he 
taught  Hebrew  for  a  time.  Pastor  for  thirty  years  and 
more  of  the  Eliot  Church,  at  Roxbury,  now  part  of  Bos- 
ton; also,  for  a  long  course  of  years  till  now,  on  the  Pru- 
dential Committee  of  the  American  Board.  She  died,  leav- 
ing five  children.  May  11th,  1857.  Their  oldest,  Theodore 
Strong  Thompson,  graduated  at  Williams  in  1862.  After- 
ward Assistant  Paymaster  in  the  U.  S.  Navy.  Their  young- 
est, Augustus  Charles,  was  drowned  at  the  age  of  thirteen, 
at  Concord,  N.  H.,  in  1862.  He  married  for  his  second 
wife,  m  1870,  Miriam,  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Burgess,  of 
Dedham.  Has  traveled  extensively  in  the  East,  visiting  va- 
rious missionary  stations  of  the  American  Board.  An  at- 
tractive writer;    has  published   a  number  of  volumes. 

Fifty-second.      Charlotte  F.    Allen,    daughter  of   President 


240  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

William  Allen.  Allen's  Biographical  Dictionary  is  well 
known  and  highly  valued.  She  married,  in  1841,  Eev. 
Erastus,  son  of  Capt.  John  Hopkins.  He  went  South  and 
preached  at  Beach  Island,  S.  C,  his  first  settlement  from 
1835-37.  His  second,  viz.:  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  1837-41. 
Moved  to  Northampton  in  1841,  represented  the  town  in 
the  legislature  from  1843,  some  nine  years.  President  of 
the  Conn.  Eiver  Railroad,  1846-51.  Wrote  a  volume  en- 
titled, ^^The  Family,— Heaven,  its  Model."  Col.  W.  S.  B. 
Hopkins,    a  lawyer   of   Worcester,    is  his   son. 

Fifty-third.  Lucy  Edwards  Dewey.  Her  mother,  Lucy, 
daughter  of  landlord  EdAvards,  of  Roberts  Meadow,  married, 
in  1817,  David  L.  Dewey,  who,  with  her  brother  David, 
owned  a  large  tannery  near  her  father's.  Their  daughter, 
Lucy  E.,  married,  Nov.  21st,  1^42,  Josiah  Clark,  Jr.,  son  of 
Rev.  Josiah.  Besides  a  thorough  collegiate  course,  he  studied 
theology  at  Andover,  and  graduated  in  the  class  of  1840. 
The  address  he  then  delivered  on  the  prophet  and  the  proph- 
ecy of  Habakkuk,  characterized  by  originality,  force  and 
beauty,  was  worthy  the  writer  and  the  occasion.  Not  ordained. 
Entered  immediately  on  his  life  work  of  teaching,  viz.:  at 
Westminster,  Baltimore;  Leicester,  as  Preceptor  of  the  Acad- 
emy; Easthampton,  as  Principal  of  Williston  Seminary.  At 
Northampton,  he  occupied  important  positions,  where  he 
lived  in  the  esteem  of  the  community  the  last  sixteen  years 
of  his  life,  and  where  his  widow  still  resides.  Sixty-five 
when  he  deceased. 

Fifty-fourth.      Elizabeth    L.    Allen,    another    daughter    of 
President  William  Allen,  father  of  Judge    Allen.      She    mar- 
ried, in  1843,  Rev.  Henry  B.  Smith,  who  originated  in  Maine, 
entered  Bowdoin  College,  where  he    graduated    in    1834,    and* 
at  Bangor  Theological  Seminary  in  1836,  and  at  Andover   in 


NORTHAMPTON"   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        241 

1837.  A  tutor  at  Bowdoin  until  1841.  Pastor  at  West 
Amesbury  from  1842-47.  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  three 
years  at  Amherst,  1847-50.  From  1850,  for  about  twenty-five 
years,  was  connected  with  the  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
New  York  City;  for  the  first  four  years  as  Professor  of 
Church  History;  for  the  next  twenty  years  and  more  Avas 
Professor  of  Systematic  Theology.  Eeceiyed  the  honors  of 
D.D.  and  LL.  D.  A  man  of  an  excellent  spirit,  of  unusual 
intellectual  attainments,  fitted  for  the  position  he  so  long 
ably  filled,  of  rearing  young  men  for  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try.     His  sun  set  comparatively  early. 

Fifty-fifth.  Jane  S.  Daniels,  native  place  South  Hadley, 
but  her  home  for  a  number  of  years  was  with  her  guardian, 
Oliver  Warner,  Sr.  She  married,  May  20tli,  1844,  Rev., 
afterward  Hon.  Oliver  Warner,  Jr.,  formerly  Secretary  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts.  After  graduating  at  Wil- 
liams, he  studied  theology  at  the  Gilmanton  Theological  Sem- 
inary, and  entered  the  ministry.  Preached  chiefly  at  Ches- 
terfield. For  a  long  series  of  years  filled  acceptably  various 
honorable  positions  connected  with  his  native  town,  county 
and  state.      Resides  in  the  vicinity  of   Boston. 

Fifty-sixth.  Gertrude  L.  Blake.  Originated  in  Brattle- 
boro,  Vt.,  where  her  father,  Henry  Jones  Blake,  a  colonel  in 
the  U.  S.  A.,  deceased  in  her  infancy.  She  was  adopted 
and  educated  by  Mr.  Edward  Clarke,  formerly  a  merchant  in 
Boston,  but  whose  last  years  were  spent  in  his  native  town; 
lived  on  Round  Hill,  owned  the  house  now  occupied  by  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum;  brother  of  John  the  banker,  of 
Christopher,  and  Richard,  of  Chesterfield.  She  married, 
Oct.  2d,  1845,  Rev.  Rufus  Ellis,  D.D.,  then  pastor  of  the 
•Unitarian  Church,  Northampton,  but  for  twenty-eight  years 
minister  of  the  First  Church  in  Boston.      Published  in  1850, 


243  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

a  Memoir  of  Judge  Samuel  Howe.  Received  D.D.  from  Yale 
in  1874.  Editor  of  Christian  Register.  Their  three  sons, 
mentioned  in  this  work,  graduated  at  Harvard. 

Fifty-seventh.  Hetty  S.  Butler,  the  youngest  of  the  four 
daughters  of  Daniel  Butler.  For  about  ten  years  connected 
as  teacher  with  Miss  Margaret  Dwight's  school,  for  a  long 
time  associated  in  that  institution  with  Harriet  Clark, 
daughter  of  Dea.  Enos,  now  Mrs.  Marple  of  Columbus, 
Ohio.  She  married,  in  1846,  Rev.  Eli  Smith,  D.D.,  mis- 
sionary to  Syria.  His  father,  of  the  same  name,  of  North- 
ford  Ct.,  could  count  as  many  as  twenty-five  converted 
while  members  of  his  family.  During  a  revival  in  Yale 
College,  his  views  underwent  a  permanent  change.  Farther 
along  in  his  studies,  at  Andover  Seminary,  by  reading  the 
life  of  Henry  Martin,  his  attention  was  directed  to  mis- 
sions. For  some  of  his  first  years  abroad,  1826-30,  at  in- 
tervals he  superintended  the  Arabic  press  at  Malta.  In 
1830,  started  in  company  with  D wight,  the  missionary,  on 
an  exploring  tour  through  Armenia,  the  results  of  which 
were  afterwards  published.  He  was  a  superior  oriental 
scholar.  Commenced  translating  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Arabic  language,  but  did  not  live  to  complete  the  work. 
His  missionary  life  embraced  about  thirty  years.  He  died 
in  1857,  in  his  fifty-sixth  year.  Mrs.  Smith  brought  to  this 
country  five  children,  and  resided  immediately  after  her  re- 
turn at  East  Windsor  Hill,  Ct.  Since  1869,  her  home  has 
been  at  Amherst.  Charles  Henry,  the  oldest  of  the  five, 
graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1869;  is  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics in  Bowdoin  College.  Edward  Robinson  Smith  grad- 
uated at  Amherst  in  1876;  is  an  artist,  and  has  spent  two 
years  in  Europe.  The  youngest,  Benjamin  Eli,  graduated 
at  Amherst  in   the   class   of   1877;    has   since  been  connected 


SOUTHAMPTON"   LADIES  WHO   MARUIED   MINISTERS.        243 

with  the  college  as  Walker  instructor,  and  is  now  in  Ger- 
many. One  of  the  daughters,  Mrs.  Marcy,  resides  in 
Michigan.  The  other  daughter,  now  Mrs.  Stiles,  married 
a  lawyer,    their   home   in    Iveson,    Arizona. 

Fifty-eighth.  Susan  Wright  Clark,  daughter  of  Chester, 
granddaughter  of  Lyman,  who  deceased  July  17th,  1817, 
great  grandchild  of  Matthew.  If  this  Matthew  Clark  orig- 
inated in  Lebanon,  Ct.,  as  seems  probable,  he  was  born 
July  8th,  1732.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  viz. :  in  1754, 
he  married  Sarah  Clark,  the  youngest  of  the  eleven  chil- 
dren of  Dea.  John  Clark,  Jr.,  who  lived  on  South  street. 
They  were  third  cousins  of  each  other,  both  in  the  fourth 
generation  from  Lieut.  William  the  settler.  They  lived  to- 
gether only  six  years.  He  deceased  1760,  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty-eight,  leaving  a  son  Lyman.  Such,  on  the  father's 
side,  are  the  ancestors  of  Susan  W.  Clark. 

Her  mother,  Nancy  Barnard  Williams,  was  born  about 
1784,  at  East  Hartford,  Ct.,  daughter  of  Edward,  a  younger 
brother  of  the  fifth  Northampton  pastor.  Rev.  Solomon. 
Their  father.  Rev.  Dr.  Eliphalet  Williams,  was  the  minister 
of  East  Hartford  over  fifty  years,  being  a  descendant  of  Rev. 
Solomon  Stoddard,  second  minister  of  Northampton,  through 
Rev.  William  Williams  of  Hatfield,  and  his  son,  Rev.  Solo- 
mon, D.D.,  of  Lebanon,  Ct.  Commencing  with  the  fore- 
going Rev.  William  Williams,  it  was  a  remarkable  ministerial 
race  in  respect  to  longevity  in  the  pastoral  oflSce.  For  ex- 
ample. Rev.  William,  of  Hatfield,  continued  there  fifty-six 
years.  The  second,  Rev.  Solomon,  D.D.,  of  Lebanon,  pro- 
longed his  ministry  fifty- three  years.  Rev.  Eliphalet,  D.D., 
the  third  in  the  line,  sustained  the  same  relation  at  East 
Hartford  fifty-five  years.  Rev.  Solomon  of  Northampton,  the 
fourth  in  the  series,  continued  there  fifty-six  years.      They  all 


244  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

preached  half -century  discourses.  Such,  with  the  exception 
of  the  fourth  and  last,  Rev.  Solomon,  are  the  ancestors  on 
the  mother's  side  of  Susan  W.   Clark. 

Respecting  her  grandfather,  Edward  Williams,  it  may  be 
added,  he  was  born  1762,  acquired  and  followed  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  always  lived  at  East  Hartford,  married,  about 
1783,  Rachel  Barnard.  He  deceased,  1807,  at  the  age  of 
forty-four.  They  had  two  children,  daughters.  Elizabeth, 
the  younger,  married,  January  21st,  1816,  David  Parsons, 
one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Rev.  Dr.  David  Parsons,  for 
thirty-seven  years  minister  of  Amherst,  1782-1819.  The  older 
one,  Nancy  Barnard  Williams,  married,  about  1819,  Chester 
Clark.  Number  of  their  children,  six.  Among  them  are 
Sidney  L.,  in  the  office  of  the  Florence  Machine  Company, 
and  Susan  Wright.  She,  Susan  W.,  married,  in  the  spring 
of  1849,  Rev.  Josiah  Tyler,  a  younger  brother  of  Rev.  John 
Ellery,  sons  of  Rev.  Bennett  Tyler,  D.D.  See  number  forty- 
ninth  of  this  series.  He,  Rev.  Josiah,  graduated  at  Amherst 
in  1845,  and  later  at  the  East  Windsor  Hill  Theological  Sem- 
inary. Immediately  after  their  marriage,  they  left  for  their 
distant  field  of  missionary  labor. 

For  thirty-two  years,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  American  Board  as  missionaries  in  Zululand, 
Southern  Africa.  Much  of  this  time  he  has  been  a  corres- 
pondent of  the  New  York  Observer.  Number  of  their  chil- 
dren, six — four  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  native  Africans, 
three  of  whom  are  in  this  country. 

Fifty-ninth.  Cornelia  Frances  Lee,  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Lee.  She  graduated  at  Holyoke  Seminary  in  1845,  the  sec- 
ond from  Northampton  who  graduated  from  that  institution. 
Soon  after,  her  name,  originally  Diantha  C,  was  changed  to 
Cornelia  Frances.      She  married,  in  June,  1848,  Rev.  William 


NORTHAMPTOK   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MIKISTERS.        245 

Bates,  son  of  Eev.  Joshua,  D.D.,  pastor  at  Dedham,  after- 
wards president  of  Middlebury  College,  where  his  son  William 
was  born,  and  where  he  graduated  in  1837.  He  studied  for 
the  ministry  at  Andover  in  the  same  class  with  Professor  Jo- 
siah  Clark.  He  taught  for  a  time,  then  settled  and  preached 
thirteen  years  at  Northbridge,  1845-58.  Next  became  asso- 
ciated as  pastor  with  the  Falmouth  Church,  on  the  Cape,  in 
1858,  but  after  a  brief  residence  he  deceased  in  the  autumn 
of  1859,  in  his  forty-third  year.  Pleasant  recollections  are 
connected  with  his  memory.  She  survived  him  and  lived 
recently  at  Grantville. 

Sixtieth.  Sarah  B.  Whitney,  daughter  of  Josiah  D.  Whit- 
ney, born  at  Springfield,  who,  as  merchant,  cashier,  bank 
president,  and  otherwise,  spent  sixty-two  years  at  Northamp- 
ton, 1807-69.  His  family,  one  of  the  nine,  so  far  as  now 
known  of  the  same  size,  numbered  thirteen  children.  Sarah 
B.,  named  after  her  grandmother,  Sarah  Birdseye,  married, 
in  1848,  Eev.  Kobert  C.  Learned,  a  native  of  New  London, 
educated  at  Yale  and  Andover,  settled  first  in  Ohio,  at 
Twinsburgh  from  1843  to  1846.  Preached  next  for  eleven 
years  at  Canterbury,  Ct.,  1847-58.  Three  years  at  Berlin 
and  four  at  Plymouth,  Ct.,  1861-65.  Died  there  in  1867, 
in  his  fiftieth  year.  Whole  number  of  their  children,  six. 
The   oldest,   Dwight   Whitney  Learned,  entered  the  ministry. 

Sixty-first.  Lovisa  P.  Chapin.  A  native  of  Hatfield,  only 
daughter  of  Camillus  and  Mira  Parsons  Chaj)in.  She  made 
her  home  for  a  long  time  at  South  Farms,  in  the  family  of 
the  late  Asahel  Lyman,  whose  wife  was  her  aunt.  She  mar- 
ried, in  1842,  William  D.  Clapp,  son  of  Zenas,  on  South 
street.  See  homestead  number  twenty-four.  He  pursued 
freshman    and   sophomore    studies   out   of  college,    expecting 

to  enter  the  junior  class  at  Amherst  in  the  autumn  of    1840, 
28 


246  AKTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

but  failure  of  health  prevented.  Taught  at  Williston  Semi- 
nary, Easthampton,  in  1842.  Has  been  in  business  in  North- 
ampton for  many  years,  served  as  superintendent  of  schools, 
is  a  member  of  the  school  committee.  While  thus  occupied, 
he  has  for  years  preached  nearly  every  Sabbath  in  the  vicin- 
ity. Eecently  completed  a  term  of  three  years'  service  for 
the  First  Church  in  Huntington,  and  entered  there  upon  a 
fourth  year.  They  lived  together  but  a  few  years.  Married 
his  second  wife,  Sarah  G.  Fisher,  of  Westhampton,  Aug. 
29th,  1850. 

Sixty-second.  Mrs.  Daniel  J.  Cooke.  Her  original  name 
was  Melissa  Judd,  daughter  of  David  Judd,  a  cabinet  maker 
who  settled  in  Northampton  early  in  his  married  life.  Five 
of  his  children  still  survive,  Mrs.  Thomas  Bridgman  and 
Mrs.  Cutler,  Elm  street,  Northampton;  Pamelia,  Mrs.  Foster 
and  David  C,  live  in  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  and  the  subject  of 
this  brief  notice.  Melissa  Judd  married  for  her  first  hus- 
band, Daniel  James  Cooke,  at  one  time  in  comjmny  with  her 
father,  David  Judd.  He  left  Northampton  in  1830,  moved 
to  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  died  in  New  York,  Feb.  9th,  1836. 
Mrs.  Cooke  married  for  her  second  husband,  April  11th, 
1848,  Rev.  Andrew  Benton,  of  College  Hill,  Ohio.  This 
place  is  six  miles  north  of  Cincinnati;  Farmers'  College  is 
located  there,  also  the  Ohio  Female  College.  Since  his 
death,  her  home  has  been  in  Chicago,  111.,  with  her  only 
son,    David   B.    Cooke. 

Before  proceeding  farther,  the  following  may  be  instanced 
respecting  the  late  Rev.  Andrew  Benton.  Native  place, 
Hartford,  Ct.;  born  Feb.  12th,  1800.  His  father's  early 
death  compelled  him  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world. 
First,  he  acquired  the  printer's  trade;  next,  that  of  paper- 
making,   living    in    New    Haven,     Ct.      In    1831,    urged    by 


NORTHAMPTON    LADIES    WHO    MARRIED   MINISTERS.         247 

friends,  among  the  number,  Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt,  went  to 
St.  Louis  to  commence  the  work  of  establishing  Sabbath- 
schools.  Afterwards,  advised  by  prominent  men  to  study  for 
the  ministry,  he  did  so.  Settled  over  Mount  Pleasant  Pres- 
byterian Church,  Ohio.  There  preached  till  obliged  to  re- 
sign by  impaired  health.  Next,  for  some  years,  associate  ed- 
itor of  the  Watchman  of  the  Valley  at  Cincinnati.  Subse- 
quently engaged  in  educational  enterprises  in  establishing  in- 
stitutions of  a  high  grade.  At  length,  in  feeble  health,  he 
removed  to  Beloit,  Wis.,  where  he  died  Jan.  12th,  1865. 
Ever  an  earnest  worker  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  His  daugh- 
ter, Maria  W.  Benton,  lives  in  Northampton. 

Sixty- third.  Sarah  M.  Cooke,  daughter  of  Daniel  J.,  and 
granddaughter  of  David  Judd;  born  and  spent  her  earliest 
years  in  Northampton.  She  married,  April  11th,  1848,  Prof. 
John  Silsby,  of  College  Hill,  Ohio.  The  next  year,  1849, 
in  company  with  Dr.  Bradley,  Rev.  L.  B.  Lane,  M.  D.,  and 
their  wives,  they  went  on  a  mission  to  Siam,  sent  out  by 
the  American  Missionary  Association,  their  residence  being 
at  Bankok.  Owing  to  poor  health  they  continued  there 
but  five  years,  being  obliged  to  suspend  missionary  work 
and  return  home.  After  the  war,  Mr.  Silsby  went  South 
to  assist  in  establishing  schools  for  the  freedmen.  For  sev- 
eral years  he  has  been  connected  with  the  Maryville  Col- 
lege, Tennessee,  and  makes  his  home  there.  Their  oldest 
daughter,  great-grandchild  of  David  Judd,  was  married  in 
September,  1880,  and  left  for  India  with  her  husband, 
Lyman  B.  Tedford,  as  foreign  missionaries.  Their  present 
work   is  at   Kolapoor. 

Sixty-fourth.  Susan  Inches  Lyman,  the  tenth  child  of 
Judge  Joseph  Lyman,  formerly,  for  nearly  thirty  years,  1816- 
45,    High   Sheriff  of   Hampshire    county.      A  younger    sister 


248  ANTIQUITIES    Al^D    HISTORICALS. 

of  Judge  Samuel  F.  and  of  E.  H.  K.  Lyman.  She  mar- 
ried, in  1849,  Eev.  J.  Peter  Lesley,  born  at  Philadelphia, 
in  1819,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
1839,  and  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Princeton,  N. 
J.,  in  1844.  Authorized  by  the  American  Tract  Society 
to  establish  its  colportage  system  in  JSTorthern  and  Central 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  Congregational  pastor  for  four  years 
at  Milton,  is  now  professor  of  the  University  where  he 
graduated;  also  head  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania,  a  member  of  the  National  Academy  of 
Science.  Lives  in  Philadelphia.  They  have  two  daugh- 
ters; one  of  them  is  studying  painting  in  Paris.  He  was 
United  States  Commissioner  to  the  Exposition  of  1867.  Has 
published  on  Coal,  the  Iron  Works  of  the  U.  S.,  and 
Geological   Surveys. 

Sixty-fifth.  Hannah  H.  Lyman,  daughter  of  Jonathan 
H.,  a  lawyer,  father  of  thirteen  children,  son-in-law  of 
Judge  Hinckley,  own  son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Lyman,  a  tutor  at 
Yale,  and  for  about  fifty-five  years,  1772-1826,  minister  of 
Hatfield,  whose  sermon  at  the  funeral  of  Gov.  Caleb  Strong, 
in  1819,  was  published;  in  his  day  one  of  the  most  in- 
fluential ministers  of  Hampshire  county.  His  pithy  sayings, 
numerous  and  valuable,  have  been  long  remembered.  Han- 
nah H.,  the  tenth  child,  married  Rev.  Charles  Mason, 
pastor  of  Grace  Church,  Boston,  son  of  the  Hon.  Jeremiah 
Mason,  a  foremost  member  of  the  Boston  bar,  also  U.  S. 
Senator.  Rev.  Charles  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1832,  and 
from  the  General  Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  in  1836. 
Settled  first  for  ten  years  at  Salem,  1837-47.  Next  at  Bos- 
ton for  fifteen  years,  1847-62.  Died  there  in  his  fiftieth 
year,  in  1862.  Number  of  their  children,  three.  She  was 
his  second  wife.      His  first  was  the  daughter  of  Hon.  Amos 


NOETHAMPTOi^    LADIES   WHO   MABRIED    MINISTERS.         249 

Lawrence,  whose  private  and  princely  charities  amounted  to 
half  a  million. 

Sixty-sixth.  Harriet  Parsons,  a  daughter  of  the  third 
Moses,  and  a  descendant  of  Lieut.  John,  who  settled  in  South 
street.  See  homestead  number  twenty-seven.  Her  father 
married  Esther  Kingsley,  one  of  the  ten  daughters  of  Enos, 
an  ancestor  of  the  late  Dea.  Daniel.  Harriet  was  the  oldest 
of  five  children,  born  in  1792.  She  lived  in  Northampton 
previous  to  her  first  marriage  upwards  of  thirty  years.  Was 
well  posted  in  respect  to  the  families  of  the  town.  On  the 
introduction  of  the  Sabbath-school,  she  was  one  of  the  earliest 
teachers,  and  preserved  through  her  long  life,  a  record  of  the 
names  of  her  scholars  in  those  early  days.  Married  for  her 
first  husband,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Tucker,  a  Mr.  Munn,  and  lived 
in  Greenfield.  Her  second  husband,  Eev.  Jos.  Knight, 
preached  eighteen  years  in  Peru,  1836-54,  They  were  mar- 
ried April  29th,  1851,  and  lived  together  about  ten  years. 
After  his  decease  at  East  Stafford,  Ct.,  where  he  preached 
some  six  years  or  more,  she  returned  and  spent  her  last 
days  mostly  at  Peru,  occasionally  visiting  her  native  town. 
The  writer  saw  her  repeatedly  after  she  became  an  octoge- 
narian, well  preserved  her  faculties,  physical  and  mental; 
her  memory,  intelligence  and  religious  trust,  down  to  the 
last,  clear  and  strong.  She  died  in  1879,  in  her  eighty- 
eighth  year,  at  her  step-son's,  Joseph  Knight,  M.  D.,  Lake- 
ville,  Ot.  Commencing  with  Esq.  Joseph  Parsons,  her  an- 
cestral line  runs  thus:  Lieut.  John,  Moses,  Moses,  Moses.  The 
first  Moses  lived  to  be  thirty-seven;  the  second,  eighty- two; 
the  third,  sixty-nine.  The  connections  of  Harriet  Parsons 
Knight  in  Northampton  and  the  vicinity  were  very  nu- 
merous. 

Sixty-seventh.      Emily  Sarah,   daughter  of    Henry  Bright, 


250  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

married,  Dec.  18th,  1852,  Rev.  Henry  Norman  Hudson. 
They  were  married  in  St.  John's  Church,  Northampton, 
by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Horatio  Southgate,  D.  D.  Mr.  Hudson  was 
born  in  Cornwall,  Vt.,  in  1814,  graduated  in  1840,  at 
Middlebury,  under  President  Bates;  afterwards  taught  at 
the  South,  in  Kentucky  and  Alabama,  received  ordination 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  in  1849,  for  a 
time  editor  of  the  Churchman,  and  later  of  the  Church 
Monthly.  Rector  of  a  church  in  Litchfield,  Ct.,  was  an 
army  chaplain  during  the  war.  Has  been  occupied  of  late 
in  teaching  classes  in  English  literature,  in  preparing  sev- 
eral works  for  the  use  of  such  classes;  also,  a  Reader  for 
High  Schools  and  Academies.  His  Critical  Notes  and  Lec- 
tures on  Shakespeare  have  been  read  by  many.  Resides  in 
Cambridge.      They  have   one   son. 

Sixty-eighth.  Louisa  Healey,  born  in  Chesterfield,  daugh- 
ter of  Dea.  Healey.  Her  home,  previous  to  her  marriage, 
was  in  Northampton,  where,  in  1855,  she  married  Rev. 
Stephen  C.  Pixley,  of  Plainfield,  then  under  appointment 
as  a  missionary  of  the  American  Board  for  Southern  Africa. 
He  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1852,  and  at  East 
Windsor  Hill  Seminary  in  1855;  and  for  about  twenty-five 
years,  without  returning,  during  that  interval,  to  their  na- 
tive country,  their  home  has  been  among  the  Zulus.  She 
is  the  second  lady  missionary,  married  at  Northampton, 
and  connected  with  the  same  mission  in  South  Africa. 
Both  have  been  there  for  a  quarter,  and  one  for  a  third 
of  a  century.  Rev.  Mr.  Pixley's  sister,  Mrs.  David  Rood, 
and  her  husband,  both  of  Plainfield,  have  been  missiona- 
ries among  the  Zulus,  in  the  service  of  the  American 
Board,  since  1848.  Mr.  Pixley  and  family  are  now,  1881, 
in  the  United    States. 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        251 

Sixty-ninth.  Adriana  S.  Allen,  the  fourth  daughter  of 
President  Allen,  married,  in  1855,  Rev.  Charles  Hammond, 
who  originated  in  Union,  Ct.,  in  1813.  Graduated  at  Yale 
in  1839,  studied  theology  at  Yale  and  Andover,  where  he 
graduated  in  1844.  Held  the  position,  for  about  twenty- 
five  years,  of  principal  of  Monson  Academy,  and  for  eleven 
years  the  same  position  in  the  Lawrence  Academy,  Groton. 
By  his  superior  scholarship  and  qualifications  as  a  teacher, 
he  promoted  the  cause  of  education,  both  in  the  county 
and  commonwealth.  He  received  the  honor  of  LL.  D. 
His  pupils  occupy  various  positions  of  usefulness  in  the 
East  and  at  the  West.  Number  of  their  children,  two; 
neither  of  them  living.  His  death  occurred  Nov.  7th, 
1878,  at  Monson.  Large  numbers  of  former  scholars,  friends 
of  education  from  abroad,  and  people  of  the  town  attended 
his    funeral. 

Seventieth.  Clara  Minerva  Brewster,  daughter  of  Capt. 
Jonathan,  who  kept  the  first  Mansion  House,  and  who  de- 
ceased Feb.  21st,  1862.  She  was  the  granddaughter  of  the 
second  Elijah  Allen,  of  Robert's  Meadow,  and  married, 
Nov.  18th,  185G,  Rev.  Hiram  Bingham,  Jr.  Rev.  Hiram, 
Sr.,  born  in  Bennington,  Vt.,  made  one  of  the  first  com- 
pany which  sailed  in  October,  1819,  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  where,  after  a  voyage  of  five  months,  they  arrived, 
March  31st,  1820.  He  was  stationed  at  Honolulu,  on  the 
Island  of  Oahu.  The  following  item  illustrates  the  forward 
movement  of  that  mission.  About  1831,  after  the  forma- 
tion of  a  Temperance  Society  and  the  spread  of  temper- 
ance principles,  the  governor  of  Oahu,  being  applied  to  for 
a  license  to  sell  ardent  spirits  to  foreicjners  only,  made 
this  emphatic  answer:  To  horses,  cattle,  and  hogs  you 
may  sell  rum,  but  to  real  men  you  must  not  on  these 
shores. 


252  AICTIQUITIES    AKB    HiSTORlCALS. 

Hiram,  Jr.,  was  born  at  Honolulu.  Came  to  the  United 
States  with  his  father  about  1841,  Educated  at  Yale, 
where  he  graduated  in  1853.  Afterwards,  during  a  part 
of  his  theological  course,  was  a  student  at  Andover.  Or- 
dained Nov.  9th,  1856.  A  missionary  of  the  American 
Board  first  at  Ascension  Island,  afterwards  at  Charlotte 
Island  in  the  Pacific,  1857-64.  For  two  years  had  com- 
mand of  the  missionary  packet.  Morning  Star,  1866-68. 
Next  located  at  Charlotte  Island.  For  several  years  has  re- 
sided at  Sandwich  Island  connected  with  the  Hawaiian  For- 
eign  Missionary   Society.      They  have   one   child,    a   son. 

Seventy-first.  Maria  P.  Woodward.  One  of  the  children 
of  Samuel  B.,  for  thirteen  years  Supt.  of  the  Worcester 
Lunatic  Asylum.  Spent  his  last  years  in  Northampton. 
He  descended  from  Henry  Woodward,  from  Dorchester,  one 
of  the  seven  pillars  of  the  Northampton  church,  and  for 
twenty-five  years  active  and  efiicient  in  the  affairs  of  the 
town,  chosen  selectman  not  less  than  eight  times.  Maria 
P.  married,  1858,  Rev.  William  Silsbee,  then  pastor  of  the 
Unitarian  Church  in  Northampton,  being  the  fifth  settled 
minister  of  that  society.  They  were  married  by  his  im- 
mediate predecessor,  Eev.  Rufus  Ellis,  D.  D.  Mr.  Silsbee 
has  been  for  several  years  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Christian 
Church,  Trenton.  N.  Y.  His  first  wife  was  Charlotte, 
daughter  of  William  Greene,  Lieut.  Governor  of  Rhode 
Island,  a  granddaughter  of  Major  Erastus  Lyman  of  North- 
ampton,   brother   of  Judge   Joseph. 

Seventy-second.  Elizabeth  Hopkins,  the  second  of  the  six 
children  of  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins.  She  married  as  his  sec- 
ond wife,  Nov.  22d,  1859,  Rev.  Joseph  Henry  Myers.  His 
father,  Peter  J.  H.  Myers,  was  a  merchant  of  Watertown, 
N.    Y.      He   graduated,    1837,    at    the    Vermont    University, 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        253 

under  President  John  Wheeler.  Studied  theology  at  the 
Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  and  graduated  in 
the  class  of  1841.  Pastor  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida. 
Taught  in  Georgia  before  the  late  war.  Afterwards  was 
a  teacher  for  two  years  at  Oyster  Bay,  Long  Island,  186G- 
68.  Has  now  a  boarding  and  day  school  on  the  Hudson 
river  at  Milton,  where  their  mother,  Mrs.  Samuel  Hopkins, 
recently   deceased. 

.  Seventy-third.  Arethusa  Salisbury,  born  in  Townshend, 
Vt.,  daughter  of  Barnard  Salisbury.  Lived  in  Northamp- 
ton four  or  five  years  at  her  cousin's,  L.  Maltby,  Esq., 
on  Elm  street,  where.  May  1,  1862,  she  married  Eev.  Sam- 
uel John  Mills  Merwin,  of  Yale  College,  1839,  and  of  the 
theological  department  of  Yale,  1844.  Settled  fifteen  years 
at  Southport,  Ct.,  1844-59.  He  preached  seven  years  at 
South  Hadley  Falls,  1860-67.  Has  been  thirteen  years  at 
Wilton,  Ct.,  1868-81.  His  father.  Rev.  Samuel,  was  set- 
tled in  New  Haven,  Ct.,  twenty-six  years.  Next  became 
pastor  at  Wilton,  where  his  son  now  preaches.  Spent  his 
last  days  in  New  Haven,  and  deceased,  1856,  in  his  seventy- 
fifth  year.  The  late  Rev.  Gordon  Hall,  D.D.,  his  son-in 
law,  was  settled  in  October,  1848,  in  Wilton,  and  continued 
there  till  his  removal,  June  2,  1852,  to  the  pastorate  of 
the  Edwards  Church,  Northampton.  Thus  the  father,  son- 
in-law,  and  son  sustained  the  relation  of  pastor  in  the 
same   pulpit   among   the   same  people. 

Seventy-fourth.  Hannah  M.  Williston,  the  seventh  child 
of  Dea.  J.  P.  Williston.  She  married,  1864,  Rev.  George 
S.  Bishop,  D.D.,  a  native  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.  He  gi-ad- 
uated  at  Amherst,  1858,  and  at  Princeton  Theological  Sem- 
inary, 1864.  The  same  year  became  pastor  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  Trenton,  N.  J.  In  1866,  settled  over  the 
29 


254  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Calvary  Church,  Newburgh,  N.  Y.  Received  D.  D.  from 
Rutger's  College,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  Is  now  pastor  of 
the  First  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  East  Orange,  N.  J. 
They  have  two  children,  sons. 

Seventy-fifth.  Helen  A.  Crane,  daughter  of  Rev.  D.  M. 
Crane,  who  twice  sustained  the  pastoral  relation  to  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  Northampton.  The  first  period  continued  from 
1846  to  1858.  The  second  from  August,  1878,  to  the  time 
of  his  decease,  September,  1879.  She  married.  May  29th, 
1864,  Rev.  J.  R.  Haskins,  settled  at  West  Acton,  Mass.  It 
was  at  this  place,  on  a  visit  to  his  daughter  and  her  husband, 
that  Mr.  Crane's  death  occurred.  On  the  Sabbath,  Aug. 
17th,  1879,  he  occupied  the  pulpit  of  his  son-in-law,  preach- 
ing from  the  text:  **  Behold  the  bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye 
out  to  meet  him."  It  proved  his  last  preaching  service. 
While  addressing  that  people,  the  bridegroom  came  for  him. 
^^Like  a  valiant  soldier,  he  fell  with  his  armor  on." 

Seventy-sixth.  Louisa  C  Stoddard,  daughter  of  Professor 
Solomon  Stoddard,  for  four  years  tutor  at  Yale,  1822-26,  and 
for  nine  years  professor  of  languages  at  Middlebury.  He  de- 
ceased 1847.  She  is  of  the  sixth  generation  from  the  Rev. 
Solomon  Stoddard,  the  second  minister  of  the  town.  She 
married.  May  29th,  1869,  Martin  Luther  Williston,  adopted 
son  of  Dea.  J.  P.  Williston.  Having  pursued  a  collegiate 
and  theological  course,  he  was  ordained,  1870,  at  Flushing, 
N.  Y.  His  second  pastorate  at  Galesburg,  111.,  continued 
about  four  years,  1872-76.  His  third  settlement  at  James- 
town, N.  Y.,  embraced  a  period  of  three  years,  1876-79.  For 
the  past  two  years,  with  his  family,  he  has  been  in  Germany, 
much  of  the  time  engaged  in  study.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren.     Now  Professor  in  Carleton  College,  Northfield,  Minn. 

Seventy-seventh.      Nellie  R.    Bodman,  daughter   of    Luther 


i^^ORTHAMPTON    LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         255 

Bodman,  president  of  Hampshire  County  National  Bank,  also 
president  of  Hampshire  Savings  Bank.  Owns  the  paternal 
estate  at  Williamsburg,  which  for  over  a  century  has  been  in 
the  possession  of  the  Bodman  family.  She  married,  1871, 
Kev.  Charles  H.  Parkhurst,  who  graduated  at  Amherst,  1866. 
Subsequently  taught  at  Williston  Seminary.  Licensed  to 
preach  in  June,  1871,  at  Plainfield,  by  the  Hampshire  Asso- 
ciation. His  first  settlement  in  the  ministry  was  at  Lenox. 
In  1880,  became  pastor  of  the  Madison  Square  Presbyterian 
Church,  New  York  City. 

Seventy-eighth.  Martha  Ellen  Gould,  daughter  of  Nathan 
P.  Gould,  married,  1873,  Eev.  James  E.  Knapp.  When  last 
heard  from  was  preaching  at  Mechanicsville,  Vt.  A  postal 
from  one  of  the  parents  of  Martha  E.  Gould,  now  Mrs. 
Knajip,  dated  at  Northampton,  referring  to  their  son-in-law, 
closes  with  the  emphatic  sentence:  *^His  labors  are  blest 
wherever  he  goes,  which  is  a  great  comfort  to  us." 

Seventy-ninth.  Hattie  N.  Clark,  daughter  of  John  G. 
Clark,  married,  April  10th,  1875,  Eev.  Elwin    E.  Hitchcock. 

Eightieth.  Mary  Clark,  daughter  of  Dea.  Anson  B.  Clark, 
who  originated  in  Southampton,  whose  father,  Timothy,  moved 
to  Northamjoton  many  years  ago  and  resided  on  Market  street. 
Anson  B.,  lately  deceased,  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Florence  Church,  was  also  deacon  and  clerk  of  the  same. 
Highly  regarded  in  the  business  and  religious  community, 
the  memory  of  his  excellencies  will  be  long  and  extensively 
cherished.  His  daughter  Mary  married,  April  17th,  1879, 
Rev.  George  E.  Guild.  He  graduated  at  Amherst  in  the 
class  of  1876.  Studied  for  the  ministry  at  Union  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  New  York.      Settled  at  Scranton,  Penn.,  1879. 

Eighty-first.  Susan  J  add.  Originated  at  North  Farms, 
daughter  of  William  Judd,  who,  after  middle    life,    with    his 


256  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

numerous  family,  moved  to  Ohio.  Slie  married  in  June, 
1837,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  then  a  comparatively  small  place. 
Rev.  Verren  D.  Taylor.  He  there  preached  several  years  in 
the  earlier  part  of  his  ministry.  Continuing  to  own  a  resi- 
dence there,  he  ever  after  considered  that  as  his  home.  He 
preached  for  some  time  in  Dover,  Ohio.  They  lived  together 
twenty-seven  years.  She  is  described  as  much  above  medioc- 
rity as  to  mental  abilities  and  withal  a  most  excellent  critic, 
it  being  nothing  unusual  for  him  to  submit  his  discourses  to 
her  for  criticism  before  preaching  them.  In  other  ways  she 
proved  an  efficient  helper  in  his  work.  Spent  his  last  days 
at  his  home  in  Cleveland,  where  he  died,  1864.  She  survived 
him  ten  years  and  left  two  children.  A  daughter  married 
Amasa  N.  Strong,  of  Huntsburg,  Ohio.  His  parents  origina- 
ted in  Westhampton,  but  settled  with  a  numerous  family, 
comprising  many  sons,  at  Huntsburg.  The  Strongs  of  that 
place,  all  well-to-do  farmers,  are  characterized  for  their 
numbers,  industry  and  various  good  qualities.  It  is  said 
none  have  ever  been  convicted  of  crime.  The  principles  of 
the  fathers  influence  the  children. 

Eighty-second.  Sarah  Ann  Parsons  of  the  sixth  genera- 
tion from  Cornet  Joseph  Parsons.  Her  grandmother,  Phebe 
Bartlett,  remarkable  in  the  religious  annals  of  the  town,  wife 
of  Noah  Parsons,  Jr.,  was  the  mother  of  twelve  children. 
Her  father,  Justus,  who  owned  and  occujoied  the  paternal 
estate,  was  the  youngest  of  the  twelve.  Sarah  Ann,  the 
youngest  of  the  family  of  Justus,  married,  1840,  Rev.  Josiah 
Leonard,  a  native  of  St.  Johnsville,  N.  Y.,  a  graduate,  1837, 
of  Union  College  and  of  the  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
New  York  City,  1840.  His  first  settlement  was  in  Mexico, 
N.  Y.  Next  in  Oswego,  where  his  wife  deceased  in  1843. 
She  left  no  children. 


NORTHAMPTON    LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         257 

Eighty- third.  Mary  Smith.  Born  and  lived  several  years 
in  Northampton.  Daughter  of  Jonathan  Smith,  who  married 
Elvira,  the  oldest  daughter  of  the  foregoing  Justus  Parsons. 
He  moved  his  family  to  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  1829  or  1830, 
and  died  there  six  years  after.  Mary  Smith,  living  with  her 
mother,  at  Poughkeepsie,  married,  as  his  second  wife,  1845, 
the  foregoing  Eev.  Josiah  Leonard,  settled  at  that  time  in 
Maiden,  N.  Y.,  where  she  deceased  in  1849  or  1850,  leaving 
two  children,  a  son  and  daughter.  Both  are  married  and 
live  in  Illinois.  Mr.  Leonard's  last  settlement  was  in  Fulton, 
111.,  where  he  preached  a  number  of  years,  and  where  he 
died  in  1878. 

Eighty-fourth.  Jane  Louisa  Boies,  daughter  of  Justus, 
married.  May  20th,  1845,  Joel  Lyman  Dickinson,  of  Granby, 
a  descendant  of  Joel  Lyman,  of  South  Farms.  Kev.  Joel 
L.  Dickinson,  of  Amherst  College  and  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  was  prevented  by  failure  of  health  from  going  as 
a  missionary  to  Southern  India.  Settled  at  Plain ville,  Ct., 
where  he  enjoyed  a  continuous  revival  for  two  years. 
Greatly  blest  in  his  ministry,  he  deceased  there,  1867, 
aged  fifty-five. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

NORTHAMPTON    LADIES    WHO    MARRIED    MINISTERS — THE    SUM- 
MING   UP    AND   REVIEW — 1673-1879. 

The  whole  number  comprised  in  the  series,  eighty-four. 
The  period  covers  two  hundred  and  six  years  of  the  town's 
history.  Number  of  different  families  to  which  the  eighty- 
four  belonged,  seventy-two.  The  largest  number  from  any 
one  family,  six,  viz. :  the  five  daughters  and  stepdaughter 
of  the  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard.  The  next  largest  number 
from  any  one  family,  three,  viz.:  Charlotte  F.,  Elizabeth 
L.,  and  Adriana,  daughters  of  President  Allen.  Number 
married  previous  to  the  year  1700,  seven.  Number  married 
during  the  one  hundred  years  between  1701  and  1800,  twenty. 
From  1801  to  1879,  the  number  reached  fifty-seven.  Of  the 
eighty-four  ministers,  about  seventy  became  settled  pastors. 
Two  were  college  presidents.  Seven  were  connected  with 
various  colleges  as  professors.  Four  were  tutors.  Three  be- 
came professors  in  theological  seminaries;  one  of  the  three 
occupied  this  position  forty-eight  years,  another  forty-five 
years.  Nine  were  authors  and  six  editors.  Five  became 
principals  of  academies. 

Of  the  eighty-four  ladies,  three  were  wives  of  home  mis- 
sionaries. Six  married  foreign  missionaries.  One  of  the  six 
went  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  1822.  One  made  Syria  her 
home,  commenced  there    in    1846.      Another    went   to    South 


NORTHAMPTON    LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         259 

Africa  in  1849.  The  same  year  the  fourth  sailed  for  Siam. 
The  fifth,  in  1855,  went  to  South  Africa.  The  last  went  to 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  in  1856.  Five  of  the  six  are 
still  living,  two  in  this  country,  the  rest  with  their  husbands 
are  pursuing  missionary  work  abroad.  These  last  have  spent 
twenty-five  years  in  the  foreign  field;  one  of  them  has  been 
there  nearly  one-third  of  a  century. 

The  number  of  ministers  raised  up  in  these  families,  not 
far  from  twenty-five.  Number  of  physicians  in  them  it 
would  be  diflScult  to  state  accurately,  probably  not  over  eight. 
Number  of  lawyers,  from  seven  to  ten.  Two  of  these  were 
at  the  head  of  law  schools.  One  of  the  schools  was  located 
formerly  at  Northampton,  the  other  at  Litchfield,  Ct.  One 
of  these  two  lawyers.  Judge  Eeeve  of  Litchfield,  chief  justice 
of  Connecticut,  was  not  only  a  profound  lawyer,  but  an  em- 
inent Christian.  He  spent  much  of  his  time  in  devotion, 
praying  for  the  conversion  of  individuals  among  his  acquaint- 
ance. His  minister,  the  late  Lyman  Beecher,  D.D.,  father 
of  Kev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  said  of  him:  ^'I  have  never 
known  a  man  who  loved  so  many  persons  with  such  ardor, 
and  was  himself  beloved  by  so  many."  Number  of  teachers, 
editors,  college  professors  raised  up  in  these  families,  eight. 
Number  of  daughters  in  them  who  married  ministers,  four- 
teen. One  of  these,  in  1880,  married  a  foreign  missionary, 
and  now  lives  in  India. 

Thus  enumerated,  the  series  suggests  several  points  of  re- 
mark. Only  two  will  claim  attention.  The  first  relates  to 
the  intellectual  culture  or  education  that  has  characterized 
Northampton  ladies  from  the  earliest  times.  There  is,  per- 
haps, a  tendency  to  think  and  speak  slightingly  of  the  school 
advantages  which  the  girls  of  the  town  received  during  the 
first  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  its    existence,  as   though 


260  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

the  community  was  specially  faulty  in  this  particular.  While 
the  boys  were  cared  for,  little  attention,  educationally,  was 
paid  to  the  girls.  The  writer  does  not  sympathize  with  this 
view.  It  is  not  claimed  that  the  standard  in  early  times 
was  what  it  is  now.  Everything  has  greatly  changed  in  re- 
gard to  schools,  teachers,  books,  and  the  common  branches 
of  study.  For  a  hundred  years  after  the  aettlement  com- 
menced, such  a  thing  as  a  spelling  book  was  not  known  in 
New  England,  and  probably  not  in  Old  England.  Heading, 
arithmetic,  writing  to  some  extent,  constituted,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  catechism,  almost  the  sum  total  of  school  ed- 
ucation. In  the  grammar  schools,  Latin  was  required  to  be 
taught  in  the  case  of  those  who  had  college  in  view.  In 
passing,  it  may  be  observed,  that  for  a  long  period  there  was, 
on  the  part  of  the  girls,  very  little  call  for  what  is  now  an 
indispensable  accomplishment,  viz. :  writing.  Families  were 
not  widely  scattered,  as  is  the  case  at  the  present  day.  Post- 
oflfices  and  mails  were  not  established.  Letter  writing  was 
not  needed,  except  on  a  limited  scale.  The  wants  of  hardly 
one  family  in  twenty,  required  anything  of  the  kind,  viz. : 
letter  writing. 

Then  again,  the  families  of  our  ancestors  were  unusually 
large,  often  numbering  a  round  dozen.  To  clothe  such  a 
household,  to  provide  the  single  item  of  cloth,  devolved  a 
great  amount  of  labor  on  somebody.  No  factories  then  in 
existence  for  its  manufacture,  no  traders  dealing  in  the  arti- 
cle. From  the  oldest  to  the  youngest,  everything  worn  in 
the  family  must  be  produced  by  the  family,  shoes,  boots,  and 
probably  hats,  excepted.  The  raw  material  went  through  the 
various  processes  at  home.  Of  necessity,  therefore,  the  girls 
felt  obliged  to  take  part  in  the  work.  Every  house  had  such 
a  musical  instrument  as  a  spinnnig  wheel.     Every  family  was 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES  WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.        261 

a  center  and  a  liive  of  industry.  Had  tlie  writer  space,  he 
might  expatiate  on  the  quality  of  the  articles,  the  superior 
woolen  and  linen  fabrics  of  our  great-grandmothers.  Not- 
withstanding this  call  on  their  time,  the  girls  possessed  what 
would  then  pass  for  a  respectable  education.  They  were 
good  readers.  Not  an  instance,  probably,  occurred  in  the 
community  of  a  girl  in  her  teens  being  unable  to  read.  All 
could  read  the  Bible.  Moreover,  all  committed  to  memory, 
and  that  while  young,  the  Catechism.  Not  the  easy  one 
commencing:  Who  was  the  first  man?  who  the  first  woman? 
Not  simply  that,  but  the  one  beginning  with  the  question: 
What  is  the  chief  end  of  man?  This,  called  the  Shorter 
Catechism,  included  also  in  the  New  England  Primer,  was 
an  important  text  book  found  in  all  the  families,  and  recited 
once  a  week  in  all  the  schools,  and  in  many  of  the  Sabbath 
congregations  of  New  England.  The  girls  were  as  familiar 
with  it  as  the  boys.  Hard  as  it  is  now  said  to  be,  they 
could  repeat  every  word  from  beginning  to  end.  Thus  ac- 
quainted with  the  Catechism,  they  were  familiar  with  the  his- 
torical portions  of  the  Bible.  Of  them  it  might  be  said  as 
of  another,  '^And  that  from  a  child  thou  hast  known  the 
Holy  Scriptures."  They  became,  consequently,  intelligent 
readers  of  divine  truth.  Hence  in  this  connection  another 
j)articular,  the  ministry  of  the  town  from  the  earliest  years 
onward;  Mather,  Stoddard,  Edwards,  Hooker,  Williams,  men 
of  thought,  carefully  studied  their  sermons,  thus  instructing, 
educating  the  people.  The  impression  went  abroad  that  the 
community,  thus  privileged,  was  an  intelligent  one.  Quite 
early,  therefore,  educated  young  men  from  Harvard,  and 
afterward  from  Yale,  having  the  ministry  in  view,  sought 
companions  in  this  town.  Were  these  ladies  above  the  aver- 
age as  to  education?  Not  generally,  for  the  following  reason, 
30 


262  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

viz. :  the  influence  of  the  early  families  which  settled  else- 
where. The  three  towns,  Southampton,  Easthampton,  West- 
hampton,  have  always  stood  high  educationally,  and  in  other 
respects.  At  the  commencement  they  were  model  communi- 
ties. But  they  were  settled  largely  from  the  mother  town. 
The  men  and  the  women  which  laid  the  foundations  in  those 
places,  were,  for  the  most  part,  some  of  the  boys  and  girls 
of  Northampton,  of  the  preceding  generation.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  count  up  the  graduates,  valuable  men,  ministers, 
authors,  editors,  teachers,  professors,  sent  out  into  the  world, 
from  those  localities,  in  all,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty, 
showing  the  intelligence  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  there. 
Lebanon,  Ct.,  settled  previously,  stands  high  on  the  roll  of 
educated  communities.  But  that  place  received  its  first  start 
mainly  from  Northampton  families  of  the  second  generation. 
Durham,  also  Coventry,  Woodbury,  all  of  the  same  state. 
It  is  proper  to  add  that  the  intelligence  of  some  Northamp- 
ton families,  which  settled  about  1750,  and  earlier,  in  Am- 
herst, had  something  to  do,  as  seen  in  the  next  generation, 
in  originating,  preparing  the  way,  and  bringing  into  existence 
that  noble  institution,  exerting  such  a  powerful  influence  for 
good,  viz. :  Amherst  College.  All  thanks,  then,  under  Prov- 
idence, to  the  intelligence  of  the  Northampton  girls  gener- 
ally of  that  early  period,  say  of  the  second  and  third  genera- 
tion, the  boys  not  excepted. 

Pass  to  the  second  point  of  remark.  See  why,  at  least, 
in  part,  the  town  in  its  earlier  history,  became  widely 
known  in  and  beyond  New  England.  Some  have  accounted 
for  this  from  the  beauty  of  its  scenery,  diversified  by  hill 
and  valley,  river  and  woodland,  the  Round  Hill  eminence 
rising  so  gracefully  near  the  center  of  the  community,  the 
fertile,    wide  spreading  meadows,    and    those    striking    land- 


NORTHAMPTON   LADIES   WHO   MARRIED   MINISTERS.         263 

marks  and  outlines,  intercepting  tlie  southern  view,  Hol- 
yoke  and  Mt.  Tom.  Some  have  emphasized  the  ancient 
cemetery,  wit  hits  historic  associations,  where  sleep  the  early 
fathers,  the  founders  of  widely  scattered  families,  where 
repose  the  remains  of  the  sainted  Brainerd,  and  of  her 
who  expected  to  be  his  companion,  in  missionary  labor 
among  the  Indians,  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware.  Some 
have  enlarged  on  the  fact  that  this  community,  for  twenty- 
three  years,  was  the  home  of  the  greatest  metaphysical 
divine,  reasoner,  and  preacher  modern  times  have  produced, 
Jonathan  Edwards,  the  results  of  whose  ministry,  known 
across  the  water,  still  live  in  the  public  mind  and  excite 
remark.  Some  have  expatiated  on  the  civilians,  lawyers, 
statesmen,  military  men  of  the  last  century,  public  charac- 
ters, who  here  lived.  While  all  these  and  other  particu- 
lars had  their  influence,  some  of  them  considerable  inllu- 
ence  in  making  the  place  prominent  elsewhere,  the  series 
now  reviewed  and  concluded,  viz. :  Northampton  ladies  who 
have  married  ministers,  shows  still  another  that  has  largely 
contributed   to   the   same   result. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

DEACOifS    IN    THE    FIKST    CHUECH    FROM    THE    COMMENCEMENT 

TO    THE    PRESENT    TIME. 

William  Holton  heads  tlie  list,  one  of  the  Springfield 
petitioners  in  1653,  and  one  of  the  first  comers.  In  1663, 
at  a  time  of  unusual  seeking  to  God  for  guidance,  after 
choosing  a  ruling  elder,  the  church  chose  William  Holton 
deacon.  Being  the  first  to  officiate  in  this  capacity,  he 
was  also  the  first  deacon  of  the  church  called  away  by 
death  twenty-eight  years  after  his  appointment,  in  1691. 
The  last  of  the  Holton  name  who  deceased  in  N.,  was  in 
the  year   1733. 

The  church  chose  Thomas  Hanchett,  the  second  deacon, 
in  1668.  The  year  he  became  deacon,  his  name  appears 
on  the  list  of  selectmen.  After  this  date,  no  farther  trace 
of  him  exists  as  a  resident.  He  moved  to  Westfield  prob- 
ably within  a  year  or  two  after  his  appointment.  He 
stands  as  one   of  the   selectmen   of  that   town   in    1672. 

The  third,  chosen  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven,  Medad 
Pomeroy,  ultimately  became  one  of  the  first  men  in  North- 
ampton. He  served  the  church  forty-one  years,  1675-1716. 
His   grandson,    Ebenezer,    was   the   twelfth    deacon. 

Jonathan  Hunt  occupies  the  fourth  place,  ancestor  of  a 
numerous  race.  The  church  chose  him  in  1680,  in  his 
forty-fourth    year.      He    held    the    office    eleven    years,    and 


DEACOKS    IN    THE    FIRST    CHURCH.  265 

deceased  1691,  a  few  weeks  after  tlie  venerable  Dea.  Hol- 
ton. 

Nathaniel  Phelps  appears  as  the  fifth  deacon,  not  the 
first  Nathaniel,  an  early  comer,  but  a  son.  Soon  after 
Dea.  Jonathan  Hunt  deceased,  the  church  chose  Nathaniel 
Phelps,  2d,  to  the  same  office,  then  sixty-four.  He  re- 
tained the  position  eleven  years,  the  same  as  Dea.  Hunt, 
and  died  in  1702,  aged  seventy-five.  At  the  same  time 
the  church  placed  the  same  responsibility  on  a  much  younger 
man,  John  Clark,  son  of  Lieut.  William,  usually  styled  the 
first  Dea.  John,  a  historic  name  in  the  different  Hamp- 
tons.     Died   1704,   in  the  fourteenth  year  of  his  deaconship. 

The  seventh,  Thomas  Sheldon,  chosen  at  the  age  of 
forty,  in  1702,  was  one  of  the  fifteen  children  of  Isaac, 
from  England,  ancestor  of  the  Sheldons.  Thomas,  the 
deacon,  was  born  in  1662.  He  continued  in  office  twenty- 
three  years,    till   his   death   in   1725,    aged   sixty- three. 

Ebenezer  Wright  stands  the  eighth  on  the  list,  born  in 
1662.  The  church  chose  him  to  fill  the  vacancy  occa- 
sioned by  the  death  of  Dea.  John  Clark,  in  1704.  Forty- 
two  when  appointed,  he  lived  to  be  eighty-six,  1748,  and 
saw,  during  the  term  of  his  office,  numerous  accessions  to 
the   church. 

After  the  foregoing,  came  the  second  Samuel  Allen, 
chosen,  1725,  in  the  room  of  Thomas  Sheldon.  Dea.  Sam- 
uel, born  1675,  when  the  Indians  broke  through  the  pal- 
isades, was  fifty  when  appointed  the  ninth  deacon,  lived 
near  neighbor  of  Mr.  Edwards,  the  minister,  some  twelve 
years,  and  deceased  1739,  soon  after  the  erection  of  the 
third  meeting  house,  his  age  sixty-four.  Held  the  office 
fourteen  years. 

The  tenth  in  order,  Capt.  John  Clark,  grandson  of  Lieut. 


266  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

William,  was  the  first  of  Dea.  John's  eleven  children, 
usually  styled  the  second  Dea.  John.  At  his  marriage  in 
1704,  he  built  on  South  street.  Fifty-one  when  constituted 
deacon,  he  sustained  the  relation  thirty-eight  years,  1730- 
68.  Having  served  the  town  in  various  important  capaci- 
ties, he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine.  His  son,  the 
third  Dea.  John,  lived  in  Southampton,  one  of  the  earliest 
who  officiated  in  that  church.  Soon  after  its  formation, 
the  second  Dea.  John  gave  the  Southampton  church  a  sil- 
ver goblet,  still  used  in  the  communion  service,  a  reminder 
of  the  intimate  relation  between  the  two  towns  and  the 
two   churches,    mother  and   daughter. 

Noah  Cook,  Jr.,  the  eleventh  chosen,  was  born  1688, 
grandson  of  Major  Aaron  Cook.  When  fifty-one  he  suc- 
ceeded Dea.  Samuel  Allen  m  the  office  of  deacon,  1730,  be- 
ing the  first  of  the  three  appointed  that  year  to  the  same  office, 
and  served  thirty-four  years.  At  the  date  of  his  election, 
the  church  was  highly  prosperous,  outwardly  and  inwardly; 
harmony,  spirituality,  large  numbers,  a  new  meeting  house, 
a  pastor  of  great  celebrity,  all  these  items  made  that  period 
one  of  the  brightest  the  First  Church  ever  saw.  Dea.  Noah 
lived  to  see  the  same  go  into  a  very  dark  cloud,  and,  in  a 
few.  years,  to  come  out  of  it  into  a  state  of  sunshine  and 
prosperity,  under  Kev.  John  Hooker. 

Pass  to  the  twelfth,  Ebenezer  Pomeroy,  born  1697,  son  of  the 
distinguished  Major  Ebenezer,  the  second  of  the  three  ap- 
pointed at  the  time  of  the  foregoing.  Forty-two  when  chosen, 
the  church  had  his  services  thirty-five  years,  the  last,  viz. : 
1774,  being  one  of  the  Right  Hand  of  the  Most  High. 
These  two,  Dea.  Cook  and  Dea.  Pomeroy,  associated  together 
thirty-four  years,  witnessed,  during  the  entire  period  of  their 
church  membership,  ten  harvest  seasons. 


DEACONS    IK    THE    FIRST    CHURCH.  267 

In  the  place  of  the  thirteenth  deacon,  stands  the  name  of 
Stephen  Wright,  son  of  the  third  Samuel.  He  was  the  third 
chosen  in  1739.  The  church,  numbering  between  six  and 
seven  hundred,  needed  at  least  three,  as  it  has  ever  since. 
Precisely  how  long  Dea.  Ste^^hen  Wright  held  the  office  is 
not  stated.  In  1744,  he  moved  to  a  part  of  the  town  after- 
wards included  in  Easthampton.  Was  ancestor  of  the  Wrights 
of  that  town.      Died  1763,  aged  seventy. 

The  fourteenth  on  the  list,  Ebenezer  Hunt,  son  of  the 
Ebenezer  who  lived  on  Bridge  street,  1698-1723,  who,  in 
1723,  moved  his  numerous  family  to  Lebanon,  Ct.,  leaving 
behind  his  son,  Ebenezer,  a  young  man  of  about  twenty. 
When  about  fifty,  he  was  chosen  deacon,  in  1754,  the  year 
Mr.  Hooker  was  settled,  being  the  first  centennial  in  the 
history  of  the  town.  He  kept  a  record  of  passing  events 
which  has  served,  and  still  does,  a  valuable  purpose.  He 
died  in  1788,  served  the  church   officially  thirty-four  years. 

The  next,  the  fifteenth.  Supply  Kingsley,  son  of  John, 
born  in  1708,  the  same  year  his  grandfather  Enos,  the  set- 
tler, deceased.  When  forty-six,  the  church  chose  him  asso- 
ciate deacon,  the  same  year  and  probably  at  the  same  time, 
with  Dea.  Ebenezer  Hunt.  Continued  in  the  office  fourteen 
years,  and  deceased  Aug.  27th,  1768,  less  than  four  weeks 
after  the  departure  of  the  second,  the  aged  Dea.  John  Clark. 

The  sixteenth  needs  no  introduction.  *  Major  Joseph  Haw- 
ley,  chosen  six  years  before  the  death  of  Dea.  Kingsley,  in 
1762.  This  date,  in  connection  with  another  historical  event, 
should  be  emphasized.  Reference  is  made  to  the  remarkable 
confession  of  the  foregoing,  detailing  very  copiously  and  in  a 
peculiarly  close,  searching,  humble  way  his  unjustifiable 
course  toward  his  former  minister,  Mr.  Edwards.  After  a 
few    years.    Major   Hawley's   conscience   exceedingly   wrought 


268  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

upon,  would  not  suffer  liim  longer  to  remain  silent.  He 
wrote  a  confession,  resembling  David's  in  the  fifty-first  Psalm, 
being  a  thorough  portrayal  of  the  truth,  reviewing  the  whole 
in  a  masterly  way,  the  whole  outline  being  honorable  to  Mr. 
Edwards,  and  demonstrating  the  repentance  of  the  writer. 
Only  two  years  later,  in  1763,  the  church  chose  him  deacon, 
a  year,  it  may  be  added,  of  spiritual  ingathering;  sixty-five 
were  received  to  its  communion.  He  served  in  this  capacity 
twenty-six  years. 

Come  to  the  seventeenth,  viz.  Jonathan  Hunt,  born  in 
1727,  great-grandson  of  the  first  Dea.  Jonathan.  He  built 
on  Prospect  street.  At  the  age  of  thirty-seven,  he  was  ap- 
pointed deacon,  1764.  Filled  the  office  thirty-two  years  from 
1764-1796. 

The  eighteenth,  viz.:  Aaron  Oook,  was  born  in  1729.  He 
was  chosen  at  the  age  of  forty-five,  1774,  the  year  after  his 
father,  Dea.  Noah  Oook,  deceased.  He  served  the  church 
thirty-one  years,  1774-1805.  Oounting  both  father  and  son, 
the  Northampton  church  had  a  deacon  Oook  sixty-six  con- 
tinuous years,  lacking  but  a  few  months.  The  late  Enos 
Oook  was  a  son  of   Dea.  Aaron. 

The  nineteenth  in  order,  was  Josiah  Olark,  born  in  1721, 
son  of  Josiah,  the  nonagenarian,  and  consequently  grandson 
of  the  first  Dea.  John.  He  lived  on  South  street.  Dea. 
Josiah,  when  chosen,  in  1774,  had  reached  his  fifty-fourth 
year,  and  held  the  office  thirty-four  years.  His  son,  Isaac, 
who  lived  in  the  same  house,  had  a  numerous  family. 

The  twentieth,  Dea.  Elijah  Olark,  son  of  Increase,  was 
born,  lived  and  died  on  Elm  street,  1731-91,  in  the  Justin 
Smith  house.  Fifty-four  when  chosen  deacon,  in  1785,  he 
retained  the  office  only  six  years.  Was  one  of  the  commit- 
tee of  fifteen  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  Three  of  his 
sons  were  deacons,  two  in  Northampton,  and  one  elsewhere. 


DEACONS    IN    THE    FIRST    CHURCH.  269 

The  twenty- first,  Moses  Kingsley,  a  descendant  of  Enos, 
the  settler,  and  the  third  of  the  same  name.  Became  dea- 
con in  1785,  the  same  year  with  Elijah  Clark.  Having  served 
nine  years,  he  moved,  1794,  to  Chesterfield,  where  he  lived 
over  twenty  years.  His  granddaughter,  Judith,  married  Moses 
Breck. 

Enos  Wright  received  the  appointment  of  deacon,  the 
twenty-second,  in  1791,  of  the  fifth  generation  from  the  first 
Samuel  Wright.  Thirty-six  when  chosen,  he  served  the 
church  forty-three  years,  1791-1834.  His  son,  Ebenezer, 
studied  for  the  ministry  with  Rev.  Dr.   Lyman,  of   Hatfield. 

The  next,  the  twenty-third,  was  Solomon  Allen,  son  of 
Joseph,  grandson  of  Dea.  Samuel,  born  1751.  Of  his  mili- 
tary record  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  much  might  be  said. 
His  conversion,  strongly  marked,  dates  just  beyond  his  for- 
tieth year,  1791.  Thenceforward  his  devotion  under  the 
great  Captain  of  Salvation,  showed  the  same  ardor  and  de- 
cision manifested  by  him  in  the  service  of  his  country.  Six 
years  later,  1797,  appointed  deacon,  introductory,  however,  to 
a  more  responsible  calling.  Ten  years  from  the  time  of  his 
conversion,  1801,  at  the  ripe  age  of  fifty,  unappalled  by  dif- 
ficulties, enters  the  ministry,  becomes  a  pioneer  missionary, 
near  the  Genesee,  state  of  New  York.  Four  churches  owe 
their  origin  to  his  earnest,  self-denying  labors.  Among  his 
children  were  Phineas,  the  veteran  Pittsfield  editor,  Solomon 
of  Philadelphia,  Moses  of  New  York,  formerly  and  exten- 
sively known  as  bankers,  also  the  wives  of  Dea.  Luther  and 
Dea.  Enos  Clark. 

Israel  Clark,  always  mentioned  in  his  day,  as    Dea.    Israel, 

the  eleventh  child  of  Moses,    who    was   the   son    of   Increase, 

who  was  the  son  of  the  first  Dea.  John,  stands  twenty-fourth 

on  the  list.      His  father  moved  to    Sunderland,    1751.      Dea. 

31 


270  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Israel  settled  on  Bridge  street,  became  deacon  in  1804,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-nine,  and  like  Israel  of  old,  had  power  with 
God  in  prayer,  and  prevailed.  He  deceased  in  1851,  aged 
eighty-six,  one  hundred  years  from  the  time  his  father  moved 
to  Sunderland.      Held  the  office  forty-seven  years. 

The  twenty-fifth,  Luther  Clark,  better  known  as  Dea. 
Luther,  was  the  fourth  child  of  Dea.  Elijah,  born  1767,  in 
the  Justin  Smith  house,  chosen  when  thirty-eight,  1805,  held 
the  office  fifty  years,  longer  than  any  other  here  enumerated. 
He  died  Oct.  17th,  1855,  aged  eighty-eight.  Four  of  his 
sons  still  survive. 

Ebenezer  Strong  Phelps,  son  of  the  fifth  Nathaniel,  on 
South  street,  ranks  the  twenty-sixth.  The  church  chose  him 
in  1816,  when  only  twenty-eight,  being  the  youngest,  when 
elected,  of  all  his  predecessors.  Dea.  Phelps  was  the  father 
of  seven  children.  In  1831,  he  moved,  with  others,  west, 
and  settled  in  Princeton,  111.,  where  he  spent  most  of  his 
days,  and  died  much  respected,  about  1873,  aged   eighty-five. 

Enos  Clark,  the  youngest  of  the  eight  children  of  Dea. 
Elijah,  was  chosen  the  twenty-seventh  deacon  in  1818,  being 
at  the  time  thirty-nine.  He  retained  the  office  in  the  First 
Church  till  1832.  At  the  formation  of  the  Edwards  Church, 
the  same  year,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  original  members, 
he  received  the  appointment  of  deacon  and  sustained  the 
relation  till  his  decease,  1864,  in  all  in  both  churches,  some 
forty-six  years. 

Hon.  Eliphalet  Williams  accepted  the  office  of  deacon,  be- 
ing the  twenty-eighth,  in  1831.  Fifty-one  at  the  time,  he 
attained  the  great  age  of  ninety-four,  one  of  Northampton's 
nonagenarians,  the  only  one  classed  among  the  nineties  of  all 
who  have  held  the  office  in  the  First  Church.  Thirty-one 
years  he  served  as  President  of  the    Northampton  Bank,  and 


DEACONS    IN    THE    FIKST    CHURCH.  271 

forty-three,  1831-74,  as  deacon  in  the  First  Church,  over 
eighteen  years  the  senior  deacon. 

Chosen  the  same  year  with  Mr.  Williams,  1831,  the  Hon. 
Lewis  Strong,  son  of  Gov.  Caleb,  stands  the  twenty-ninth  in 
office.  In  the  responsible  position  of  deacon,  he  served  the 
church,  associated  with  Mr.  Williams,  twenty-seven  years, 
1831-58. 

The  thirtieth,  appointed  the  same  year  with  the  two  pre- 
ceding, making  a  trio  of  great  worth,  was  David  S.  Whitney, 
born  in  1789.  He  came  to  Northampton  when  a  boy,  was 
in  the  employment  of  the  Shepherds  on  Pleasant  street.  In 
1809  formed  a  partnership  with  Benjamin  Tappan,  on  Shop 
Eow,  the  firm  being  the  well-known  Tappan  &  Whitney.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Hannah  H.  Partridge  of  Hatfield.  He  was 
forty-two  when  chosen  deacon,  and  died  1840,  aged  fifty-one, 
at  Gainesville,  Ala.  Eemembered  as  an  earnest  Christian 
worker,  whose  daily  motto  seemed  to  be,  "Wist  ye  not  that 
I  must  be  about  my  Father's  business  ?"  Very  useful  at 
Northampton  by  his  attendance  at  funerals.  His  son,  David 
S.  W.,  aged  eighteen,  died  at  Pensacola,  1854. 

The  next,  the  thirty-first,  who  sustained  the  relation  from 
1838-72,  thirty-four  years,  just  one-half  of  his  life,  was  John 
Payson  Williston,  born  in  Easthampton,  1804,  son  of  the  first 
pastor.  Rev.  Payson  Williston.  In  his  lifelong  career,  he 
exemplified  the  rule  of  the  sainted  Nettleton,  "  Do  all  the 
good  you  can  in  the  world,  and  make  as  little  noise  about 
it  as  possible."  He  was  the  father  of  nine  children.  His 
son,  A.  L.  Williston,  known  for  his  benevolence,  is  one  of 
the  deacons  of   the  Florence  church. 

The  thirty-second,  chosen  in  1839,  viz.,  Aaron  Breck, 
brother  of  Moses,  held  the  office  twenty-nine  years,  and  died 
1868,  aged  seventy-seven. 


272  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

The  following  were  subsequently  chosen  to  the  office  of 
deacon  in  the  First  Church,  viz.,  Jared  Clark  in  1839,  Daniel 
Kingsley  in  1864,  Haynes  K.  Starkweather  in  1873,  Charles 
B.  Kingsley  in  1873,  George  L.  Wright  in  1877,  William  P. 
Strickland  in  1877,  William  H.  Nowell  in  1877. 

Whole  number  chosen,  1663-1877,  thirty-nine.  The  eight 
Clarks  were  all  descendants  from  Lieut.  William  C.  The 
four  Kingsleys  descended  from  Enos  the  settler.  Of  the  four 
Wrights,  three,  and  probably  the  whole  four,  descended  from 
the  first  Samuel.  With  the  exception  of  six  years,  the  First 
Church  has  had  a  Deacon  Clark  since  1730.  Two  of  the 
name,  and  sometimes  three,  have  been  in  office  at  the  same 
time. 


PART    II. 


NORTHAMPTON  GRADUATES, 


Collegiate  and  Professional 


NATIVE   AND   RESIDENT. 


1656-1882. 


COLLEGE  ABBREVIATIONS. 


A.  C.  Amherst  College 

M.  A.  C. Massachusetts  Agricultural  College 

B.  C Bowdoin  College 

B.  U Brown  University 

Cola.  C,  N.  Y Columbia  College,  New  York 

Cola.  C,  S.  C Columbia  College,  South  Carolina 

D.  C Dartmouth  College 

H.  C Harvard  College 

M.  C Middlebury  College 

O.  C Oberlin  College 

P.  C Princeton  College 

T.  C Trinity  College,  Hartford 

U.  C Union  College 

W.  C Williams  CoUsge 

W.  U Wesleyan  University 

Y.  C Yale  College 

Professional  Institutions  are  not  abbreviated. 


NORTHAMPTON  GRADUATES. 


[Natives  of  Northampton  indicated  by  the  initials,  N.  N.] 


CHAPTEE    I. 


THOMAS  ALLEN. 

N.  N.,  born  1743,  son  of  Joseph  who  lived  on  King  street. 
H.  C.  1762.  Studied  theoloofv  with  Rev.  John  Hooker  of 
Northampton.  Became  the  first  minister  of  Pittsfield,  1764. 
Almost  an  unbroken  wilderness  extended  on  the  east  to 
Northampton,  and  on  the  west  nearly  to  Albany.  Forty-six 
years  after,  he  saw  this  wilderness  dotted  over  with  thriving 
towns  and  villages.  Sometimes  called  the  *' fighting  parson," 
on  account  of  his  valor  at  the  battle  of  Bennington,  and  in 
other  engagements.  "  Once  when  asked,  whether  he  actually 
killed  any  man  at  Bennington,  he  replied  that  he  did  not 
know ;  but  that,  observing  a  flash,  often  repeated,  from  a 
certain  bush,  that  was  generally  followed  by  the  fall  of  one 
of  Stark's  men,  he  fired  that  way,  and  put  the  flash  out." 

MOSES  ALLEN. 
/     N.  N.,  born    1748,  brother   of  the  preceding.     P.   C.   1772. 
Licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of   New  Brunswick,  N. 
J.,  in  1774.     Preached  in  Virginia,  also  near  Charleston,  S.  0. 


276  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

In  1777  became  pastor  of  the  churcli  at  Midway,  Ga.  The 
next  year,  the  British  army,  having  burned  the  meeting 
house,  took  him  a  prisoner.  After  a  confinement  of  several 
weeks,  on  board  a  prison  ship,  in  attempting  to  swim  ashore, 
he  was  drowned,  at  the  age  of  thirty.  An  earnest,  faithful 
minister. 

WILLIAM  ALLEN. 

Son  of  Rev.  Thomas,  born  at  Pittsfield,  1784.  H.  0.  1802. 
Preached  his  first  sermon  in  his  father's  pulpit,  July  29th, 
1804.  Afterwards  an  officer  for  a  few  years  at  Harvard  College. 
Succeeded  his  father,  as  pastor  at  Pittsfield,  in  1810.  Chosen 
president  of  Dartmouth  College  in  1816,  and  of  Bowdoin  Col- 
lege in  1819.  Kemoved  to  Northampton  in  1839,  resided  on 
the  same  street  where  his  ancestors  lived,  and  w^here  he 
deceased,  1866.  Author  of  the  American  Biographical  and 
Historical  Dictionary,  Memoir  of  John  Codman,  D.D.,  Dor- 
chester, Second  Centennial  Address  at  Northam^^ton,  Oct. 
29th,  1854,  and  other  publications. 

JOHN  WHEELOCK  ALLEN. 

Son  of  the  preceding,  born  at  Pittsfield,  1813.  B.  C.  1834. 
Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1837.  Ordained 
1838.  Preached  at  Homer,  Mich.,  Trenton,  N.  Y.,  Wayland, 
Mass.,  in  Wisconsin,  at  Chesterfield,  and  elsewhere.  Chap- 
lain U.  S.  A.,  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  1862-63.  Present  resi- 
dence, North  Woodstock,  Ct. 

WILLIAM  ALLEN. 

A  native  of  Brunswick,  Me.,  son  of  the  president,  born 
1822.  A.  C.  1842.  Grad.  at  Law  School,  New  Haven,  1844. 
Commenced  practice  in  Northampton,  1848.  In  partnership 
with  Hon.  C.  P.  Huntington,  1849-52,  and  with  the  Bonds, 
1870-72.      Appointed   Judge   of   the    Superior   Court,    Mass., 


KORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  277 

1872.      In  1881,  received    the    appointment    of   Judge  on  the 
Bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  of   Mass. 

ELI  P.   ASHMUN. 

Originated  in  Blandford,  Mass.,  born  1771.  Studied  law 
with  Judge  Sedgwick  of  Stockbridge.  Settled  in  North- 
ampton in  1807.  The  same  year  received  the  Honorary 
A.  M.,  from  Middlebury  College,  also,  in  1809,  the  same 
degree  from  Harvard.  Chosen  U.  S.  Senator  in  1816.  His 
wife  was  Lucy,  youngest  daughter  of  Rev.  John  Hooker. 
He  died  1819,  while  a  member  of  Congress,  at  the  age  of 
forty-eight. 

JOHN    HOOKER    ASHMUN. 

Son  of  the  foregoing,  born  at  Blandford,  1800.  H.  0. 
1818.  For  the  first  three  years  studied  at  Williams  College. 
A  lawyer.  On  the  decease  of  Judge  Howe  in  1828,  he 
taught  the  Northampton  Law  School.  The  next  year 
received  the  appointment  of  professor  of  Law  at  Harvard 
College.  Acquirf^d  a  high  reputation  as  a  jurist,  and  died 
April  1,  1833. 

GEORGE    ASHMUN. 

Another  son  of  Hon.  Eli  P.,  born  1801.  Y.  C.  1823. 
A  student  in  Judge  Howe's  law  school.  Settled  in  Spring- 
field. A  Whig  member  of  Congress,  1845-51.  President 
of  Chicago  Republican  Convention  of  1860.  Distinguished 
as  a  patriotic,  able  man,  both  as  statesman  and  lawyer. 
Died   1870. 

JOHN    P.    AVERILL. 

From    Boston.      D.    C.   1847.      Teacher    of    the     Prescott 
School,  Boston.     The  first  Supt.  of  Public  Schools  in  North- 
ampton, 1867-70. 
32 


278  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

OSMYN    BAKER. 

Born  at  Amherst,  18th  of  May,  1800,  a  descendant  of 
Edward   B.,    one   of  the   first   settlers  of  Northampton.      Y. 

C.  1822.  Was  a  member  of  the  Northampton  Law  School. 
Commenced  practice  1825,  at  Amherst.  Between  1833-37, 
he  represented  that  town  four  times  in  the  Legislature. 
Chosen  County  Commissioner.  Served  three  terms  in  Con- 
gress, 1839-45.  Formed  a  copartnership  with  Charles  Delano, 
Esq.,  in  1842.  Removed  to  Northampton  in  1845.  Pres- 
ident of  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Smith  Charities  from 
1860-70.      He   died   Feb.    9th,  1875. 

HENRY   BAKER. 

Went  from  Northampton  to  College  in  1850.  W.  U.  1854. 
Joined  California  Conference  of  M.  E.  Church  in  1856. 
Returned,  and  labored  at  Newton  Corner,  Mass.,  and  else- 
where, 1863-67.  Voice  failing,  he  engaged  in  business,  1869, 
in   New   York   City. 

WILLIAM    LAWRENCE    BAKER. 

Son  of  Hon.  Osmyn,  born  1840,  at  Amherst.  D.  C.  1858. 
Studied  law.  In  1861,  was  commissioned  as  Second  Lieutenant 
of  Artillery,  in  the  regular  army,  promoted  First  Lieutenant 
the  same  year,  was  killed  in  battle  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17th, 
1863,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three.  Orders  were  received  to 
cross  the  Bridge;  while  in  the  act  of  mounting  his  horse, 
a  shell  burst  over  him,  killing  him  instantly.  All  the  offi- 
cers of  this  company  were  either  killed  or  wounded  in  this 
engagement. 

GEORGE    BANCROFT. 

Born  3d  Oct.,  1800,  at   Worcester,  son   of   Rev.   Aaron  B., 

D.  D.  H.  C.  1817.  Next  year  went  to  Europe,  to  study  at 
the   University    of   Gottingen,    and    also    at    Berlin.      Absent 


N-ORTHAMPTON^    GRADUATES.  279 

four  years,  travelled  extensively.  Tutor  at  Harvard  1822-23. 
Associate  principal  of  the  Eound  Hill  School  at  Northamp- 
ton, from  1824,  till  its  discontinuance.  Appointed  Collector 
of  Boston  in  1838,  and  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  1845. 
Minister  to  England  1846-49.  Also  to  Berlin.  Has  received 
honors  from  Societies,  Colleges,  Universities,  at  home  and 
abroad.  Author  of  History  of  the  United  States,  translated 
into  several  foreign  languages. 

JOHN    CHANDLER    BANCROFT. 

N.  N.,  born  1835,  son  of  Hon.  George  B.  H.  C.  1854. 
An  artist  painter  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  residing  .Avith  his 
family  at   Milton. 

GEORGE    BANCROFT,   Jr. 

N.  N.,  born  1837,  second  son  of  the  historian.  H.  C. 
1856.  Has  resided  in  France  for  several  years,  where  he 
married   a   French  lady. 

BENJAMIN    BARRETT. 

Born  in  Concord,  Mass.,  in  1796,  son  of  Peter  Barrett. 
H.  C.  1819.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School  1823. 
Came  the  same  year  to  Northampton,  formed  a  partnership 
with  Dr.  David  Hunt,  Hunt  &  Barrett.  Chosen  to  the 
Legislature  in  1842  ;  the  State  Senate,  in  1843-44.  County 
Commissioner  in  1847.  Treas.  of  the  Northampton  Savings 
Bank  1854-64.  A  liberal  donor  of  the  Amherst  College 
Gymnasium,  hence  called  Barrett  Gymnasium.  He  died 
June,    1869,   aged  seventy-three. 

EDWARD    BENJAMIN    BARRETT. 

N.  N.,  born  1836,  son  of  the  preceding.  Grad.  at  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  N.  Y.,  1859.  Phys- 
ician   in    his    native    town.      Received  the   Honorary   A.  M. 


280  ANTIQUITIES    Al^D    HISTORICALS. 

from   Amherst    College    in   1859.      Died   1865,    aged   twenty- 
nine. 

M.   E.   BARRY. 

A  native  of  South  Boston.  Educated  at  the  Schools  of 
Cambridge  and  New  York  City.  Grad.  in  1860  at  St. 
Bonaventure's  College,  Alleghany,  N.  Y.  Since  1872,  has 
been  pastor  of  St.   Mary's  Church,  Catholic,  of  Northamj^ton. 

ISAAC    C.    BATES. 

Son  of  Col.  Jacob  B.,  a  lieutenant  in  the  Eevolutionary 
War,  of  Granville  ;  born  1779.  Y.  C.  1802.  The  valedicto- 
rian. Studied  law  with  Seth  P.  Staples,  Esq.,  of  New  Haven. 
Settled  in  Northampton  about  1804.  Delivered  a  fourth  of 
July  oration  in  1805.  Much  occupied  in  ^professional  and 
civil  life.  In  1817,  took  his  seat  as  a  representative  in 
Congress,  continued  for  eight  successive  years,  then  declined 
re-election.  For  two  years  was  a  member  of  the  Governor's 
Council.  Also  an  elector  of  the  President  and  Vice  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States.  In  1841,  chosen  U.  S.  Sena- 
tor for  the  unexpired  term  of  lion.  John  Davis.  Re- 
elected Senator  for  six  years.  His  speech  against  the  ad- 
mission of  Texas  into  the  Union,  was  followed  by  sickness 
and  death,  March  15th,  1845,  aged  sixty-six.  Mr.  Web- 
ster's address  in  the  Senate,  on  this  occasion,  drew  tears 
from   every  eye. 

SAMUEL    HENSHAW    BATES. 

N.  N.,  born  1814,  son  of  the  Senator.  Y.  C.  1833. 
Studied  law  with  his  father.  Fond  of  our-door  life,  espec- 
ially of  farming,  he  withdrew  from  legal  practice  and 
engaged  in  agriculture.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebel- 
lion, he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  24th  Regt.  Mass.  Vols., 
but    was    promoted,     engaged     in    all    the    early    battles    in 


JSrORTHAMPTOK    GRADUATES.  281 

North    Carolina,    under    Gen.     Foster.      A   clerk    for  several 

years  in  the  War  and  Treasury  Departments,  at  AVashington. 

He   died   Jan.    3d,    1879,    at   Santa  Rosa,   California.       Never 

married. 

WILLIAM    BILLINGS. 

From  Conway.  W.  C.  1798.  After  studying  his  jorofes- 
siou  he  lived  a  few  years  in  Northampton,  a  lawyer.  Later 
in   life,    he   had   a   well  managed   farm   near   Cleveland,   0. 

BENJAMIN    a    BLODGETT. 

Born  in  Boston.  Studied  under  private  instruction. 
Grad.  1861,  at  the  University  of  Leipsic,  Germany.  Resided 
fifteen  years  in  Pittsfield.  Professor  of  Music  at  Smith 
College. 

ALFRED    BOLTER 

N.    N.,    born   4th  July,   1811,  son   of   William   and  Nancy 

Pomeroy   B.,   and   grandson   of    Maj.    Daniel    Pomeroy.      He 

left  Northampton    in    early    life.      At  nineteen,    entered   the 

Academy  at   Ovid,    N.  Y.      After    studying  three    years   and 

teaching  two   or   three  more,   health  declined.      Consulting  a 

neighboring  physician,  he  changed  his  plans  for  life;    entered 

on   a   course    of    medical   study.      Grad.    at   Geneva   Medical 

Institution   about  1838.      Practiced   at   Ovid,   where   he   lived 

over  forty    years.      Entered   with   enthusiasm   into   the   great 

temperance   reform,     became   an    eloquent,    successful    public 

speaker ;   a   trustee    of    Ovid    Academy,    a    member    of    the 

Faculty   of    Geneva   Medical    School,    Supt.    of    the   Sabbath 

School   for    twenty  years.      Universally  esteemed.      Deceased 

July  12th,    1880. 

ETHAN    ELY    BOIES. 

A  native  of  Blandford,  born  Feb.  28th,  1829,  son  of  Justus 
B.,  who  removed  to  Northam^^ton.  A.  C.  1851.  A  banker 
and  broker  in  Mendon,  Ct.,  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  and   in   Wall 


282  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

street,  N.  Y.  City.  In  1859,  removed  to  Wisconsin,  studied 
law,  admitted  to  the  bar  1860,  practiced  at  Janesville,  Wis.; 
in  1863  connected  with  the  pay  department  of  the  army,  till 
the  close  of  the  war.  Then  went  to  New  York,  and  en- 
gaged in  life  insurance  till  his  death.  He  died  in  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  May  4th,  1869. 

WILLIAM    BOIES. 

Son  of  Justus.  Y.  C.  1852.  He  studied  law  with  Hon. 
Henry  Hogeboom  in  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  and  subsequently  be- 
came his  law  partner.  In  1855,  removed  to  N.  Y.  City  and 
entered  into  partnership  with  Judge  Sutherland.  Afterward 
practiced  in  Northampton  until  March,  1871,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Troy,  where  he  lived  till  his  death,  June  17th, 
1872. 

D.  W.  BOND. 
Originated  at  Canterbury,  Ct.,  1838,  son  of  Daniel  H.  B. 
Grad.  at  Columbia  College  Law  School,  N.  Y.,  1862,  took 
the  Lieber  prize  in  the  department  of  political  science. 
Settled  in  Florence,  Northampton,  1863.  Formed  partner- 
ship with  Hon.  William  Allen,  1870-72.  In  1877,  chosen 
district  attorney  for  three  j^ears  for  Hampshire  and  Franklin 
counties.      In  1880,  re-chosen  to  the  same  position. 

HENRY    H.    BOND. 

Brother  of  the  preceding.  Graduated  at  Columbia  College 
Law  School  1869,  and  settled  in  Florence  1870.  A  law 
partner  with  his  brother.  Treasurer  of  the  Florence  Savings 
Bank.  Went  South  for  his  health  in  September,  1878;  died 
at  Millborough,  Va.,  22d  Oct.,  1881,  aged  thirty-four. 

J.   B.   BOTTUM. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Samuel  A.  B.  Grad.  at  the  Law  School 
of  Columbia  College  1874.  Next  year  became  associated  in 
law  practice  with  the  Bond  Brothers. 


KOKTHAMPTOK    GBADtJATES.  283 

DAVID    BRAINERD. 

Educated  three  years  at  Yale  College,  in  the  class  of  1743. 
Owing  to  his  peculiar  relation  to  the  Edwards  family,  his 
long  and  last  sickness,  his  funeral  and  interment  in  this 
town,  and  the  deep  interest  felt  in  him  by  the  people  then 
and  ever  since,  his  name  is  here  inserted. 

ROBERT  BRECK. 

From  Springfield.  Y.  C.  1756.  A  lawyer,  and  clerk  of 
the  court  of  common  pleas,  and  resident  many  years  of 
Northamj)ton ;  died  here  1799,  aged  sixty- three.  His  son, 
Col.  John  B.,  a  trader  in  Northampton,  died  1827. 

JOSEPH    HUNT    BRECK. 

N.  N.,  born  1800,  son  of  Joseph  H.  B.  Y.  C.  1818,  and 
at  Andover  Theological  Seminary  1823.  Pastor  at  Dummers- 
ton,  Vt.,  and  South  Hadley  Falls.  A  missionary  on  the 
Western  Reserve.  Taught  at  Cleveland,  0.,  1833-35.  Hav- 
ing a  feeble  constitution  he  followed  farming  after  1843,  and 
lived  at  Newburgh,  near  Cleveland.  He  died  June  21st, 
1880,  in  his  83d  year. 

EDWARD    BRECK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Col.  John.  Studied  Avith  Hunt  &  Barrett. 
Grad.  at  Berkshire  Medical  College  1830.  Went  to  Brecks- 
ville,  0.,  and  practiced  through  life.  He  died  there  a  few 
years  since. 

SAMUEL    BRECK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Dea.  Aaron.  Entered  Amherst  College, 
1844,  and  remained  two  years.  B.  U.  1848.  Taught  in 
New  Jersey,  Baltimore,  in  North  Granville,  N.  Y.,  at  the 
same  time  continued  his  studies  for  the  ministry.  When 
nearly  prepared  to  preach  he  gave  up  teaching,  and  came 
home  to  rest.  Stricken  with  consumption,  he  died  after  a 
short  illness,  in  June,  1853. 


284  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

THOMAS    BRIDGMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1740,  a  descendant  of  James  B.,  wlio  settled 
in  Northampton  soon  after  1654.  H.  C.  1762.  He  read 
law  in  the  ofiQce  of  Major  Hawley,  and  in  1765,  began  prac- 
tice here,  which  he  followed  only  a  few  years.  He  died  in 
1771,  aged  thirty-one. 

ANSEL   BRIDGMAN. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Joseph  of  North  Farms.  W.  C.  1827. 
Studied  at  Theological  Seminary,  Auburn,  N.  Y.  Eeceiyed 
ordination  as  a  home  missionary,  went  to  Michigan;  abun- 
dant in  labors,  manifesting  an  excellent  spirit,  leaving  a  good 
record,  he  died  1838. 

LEWIS    BRIDGMAN. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Noah  of  North  Farms.  Grad.  at  Theolog- 
ical Department  of  Oberlin  College,  in  1839.  Has  labored 
mostly  at  the  West.  Now  preaches  at  Bethel,  Clay  county, 
Dakota. 

CLARENCE    E.    BROWN. 

Of  Conway,  son  of  Erastus  B.  Studied  some  four  years  at 
Massachusetts  Agricultural  College,  the  last  two  years  taking 
only  a  partial  course.  Has  resided  at  Florence ;  business, 
electro-plating.  Kecently  removed  to  Northampton  Center. 
His  lecture,  Verdict  of  Political  Economy  against  Intem23er- 
ance,  has  been  delivered  in  several  places. 

HENRY  BURROUGHS. 

H.  C.  1834.  Rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  1841-1850. 
Afterwards  rector  of   Christ's  Church,  Boston. 

JOHN    S.    BUTLER. 

N.  N.,  born  Oct.  12th,  1803,  son  of  Daniel  B.  Y.  C. 
1825.  Grad.  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia, 
1828.      Began  in  Worcester,  May,  1829.      Married   Miss    Cor- 


KORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  285 

delia  Williams  of  Boston,  Oct.  4th,  1832.  Appointed  Supt. 
of  Boston  Lunatic  Hospital  1839,  also  physician  and  surgeon 
of  the  Public  Institution,  South  Boston.  Became  physician 
and  superintendent  of  Connecticut  Retreat  for  the  Insane,  at 
Hartford,  1843.  Eesigned  Oct.  17th,  1872.  The  directors 
of  the  Retreat  voted,  Oct.  19th,  1872,  "That  in  accepting 
Dr.  Butler's  resignation,  we  recognize  his  long  and  faithful 
services  to  the  institution,  and  his  successful  endeavors  to 
promote  its  highest  interests.  We  see,  as  the  result  of  these 
thirty  years,  the  dreary  and  forbidding  walls  of  the  narrow 
passage  ways,  comfortless  rooms  and  dormitories  of  1843, 
converted  into  an  institution  well  nigh  perfect  in  all  its  ap- 
pointments,— the  spacious  halls  and  parlors  ornamented  with 
paintings,  engravings,  and  other  works  of  art ;  the  whole 
structure  rebuilt,  placing  the  Retreat  among  the  most  home- 
like and  cheerful  residences  of  the  kind  anywhere  to  be 
found ;  libraries  of  books  and  the  periodicals  of  the  day 
upon  the  tables,  and  in  every  hall ;  the  ground  and  lawn 
converted  from  an  open  field  to  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of 
parks.  Yet  the  most  gratifying  result  is  in  the  restoration 
of  patients  scattered  up  and  down  through  the  whole  land, 
whose  grateful  remembrances  he  enjoys,  and  whose  blessings 
will  follow  him  to  the  end  of  his  days."  Dr.  Butler  has 
been  President  of  the  Conn.  Board  of  Health  since  its 
organization.  Is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Medico-Psyco- 
logical  Association  of   Great  Britain. 

SAMUEL    RUSSELL    BUTLER. 

N.  N.,    born    1837,    son    of    J.    H.    Butler.     W.    C.    1858. 
Studied   at    the    Union    Theological    Seminary,    N.    Y.   City. 
Received  licensure  to  preach  from  the  Hampshire  West  Asso- 
ciation.     For  twelve  years  and  more,  was  a  missionary  on  the 
33 


286  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Labrador  coast,    under  the  auspices   of    Zion   Congregational 
Church  of  Montreal. 

JONATHAN    HUNT    BUTLER. 

N.  K,  born  1839,  brother  of  the  foregoing.  W.  C.  1859. 
He  entered  the  firm  of  E.  H.  Butler  &  Co.,  Philadelphia, 
and  remains  in  the  publishing  business.  Travelled  in  Europe 
in  1881-82. 

STEPHEN    BREWER    BUTLER. 

N.  N.,  born  1843.  W.  C.  1863.  After  leaving  college 
he  entered  the  same  house,  E.  H.  B.  &  Co.,  Philadelphia. 
Compelled  by  ill  health,  he  returned  to  his  native  town. 
He  died  1866,  aged  twenty-three. 

CHARLES    ARMS    CARLETON. 

From  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Eeceived  his  early  education, 
including  preparation  for  college,  in  N.  D.  C.  1857.  In 
the   mercantile   business,   N.    Y.    City. 

H.    J.    GATE. 

A  native  of  Sanbornton,  N.  H.,  born  1824,  son  of  Capt. 
Jonathan  Cate.  Grad.  at  Medical  College,  Woodstock,  Vt., 
1849.  Grad.  afterwards  at  Pennsylvania  Homeopathic  Med- 
ical College,  Philadelphia.  Practiced  in  Northampton,  1854- 
57.  Afterwards  at  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  Amherst. 
Returned  to   Northampton   1877. 

CYRUS    N.    CHAMBERLAIN. 

Born  in  West  Barnstable,  March  8th,  1829.  Grad.  at 
Vermont  Medical  College,  Woodstock,  1850.  Settled  in 
Northampton  1857-61,  a  partner  of  the  late  Dr.  James 
Thompson.  Entered  United  States  service,  1861,  as  surgeon 
of  10th  Mass.  Volunteers.  In  1864,  assigned  surgeon  in 
chief   of  the  4th  Div.    5th  Army   Corps,    served    during  the 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  287 

campaign  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  from  Rapidan  to 
Petersburg.  Superintended  the  building  of  the  New  Hos- 
pital in  Worcester.  Commenced  practice  in  Lawrence,  Mass., 
immediately   after  the   war,    where   he   still    lives. 

NATHANIEL    CHAUNCEY. 

Son  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  C.  of  Hatfield,  born  1681.  His 
mother  married,  1686,  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy  of  N.  Y.  C. 
1702.      Minister   of   Durham,    Ct.,    for  nearly   sixty  years. 

DAVID    LEE    CHILD,  ^ 

H.  C.  1817.  A  lawyer.  Came  from  Boston  to  N.  18/7. 
Experimented  in  making  sugar  from  beets ;  made  in  all 
some  1,300  pounds.  He  returned  to  Boston.  His  wife, 
Lydia  Maria  Child,  is  known  by  her  writings  in  literary 
circles. 

HAYNES    HANFORD    CHILSON. 

Born  in  Charlemont,  son  of  John  C.  A.  C.  1843.  Ad- 
mitted to  Greenfield  Bar  1847.  Settled  the  same  year  in 
Northampton.  On  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners  for 
three  years.  Commissioner  of  Insolvency  for  five  years. 
Brigade  ins2")ector  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Cook.  Chairman  of 
the  School  Committee  for  several  years.  Postmaster  four 
years.      In   1875,    appointed   Trial   Justice. 

HENSHAW    BATES  CHILSON. 

N.  N.,  son  of  the  preceding.  A.  C.  1876.  Studied 
with  his  father,  also  in  the  office  of  Delano  &  Hammond. 
Admitted  1880  to  Northampton  Bar.  In  October,  1881, 
formed  a  law  partnership  with  W.  C.  Greene  of  Boston, 
and  there  resides. 

EZRA    CLAPP. 

N.  N.,  born  May  20th,  1716,  son  of  Preserved   and  Mehit- 


288  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

able    Warner    Olapp.      Y.    C.    1740.      Located   at    Westfield, 
one  of  the  selectmen  there  in  1759.      Died  as  early  as  1769. 

CALEB    CLAPP. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Asahel.  Y.  C.  1785.  A  student  of  2:>hysic, 
died  in  Westfield,  of  nervous  fever,  Nov.  28th,  1787,  aged 
twentv-three. 

CHESTER  E.    CLAPP. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Chester,  the  tailor.  Grad.  at  Pittsfield 
Medical  College,  1834.  Went  west  and  settled  at  Hillsdale, 
Hillsdale   County,    Michigan. 

AZARIAH   CLARK. 

N.  N.,  born  1778.  When  quite  young,  was  adopted  by 
his  uncle,  Azariah  Parsons  of  Worthington.  W.  C.  1805. 
After  studying  for  the  ministry,  he  settled,  in  1807, 
in  Canaan,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  till  1830.  Earely 
preached,    it  is   said,    without   tears. 

JOSIAH  CLARK. 

N.  N.,  born  1785,  son  of  Dea.  Isaac  C.  W.  C.  1809. 
Taught  Leicester  Academy  1809-18.  Pastor  of  Congrega- 
tional Church  at  Kutland,  from  1818-45.  His  public  min- 
istrations  were   always   acceptable   and   impressive. 

JOSIAH  CLARK,  Jr. 

Son  of  Rev.  Josiah  C,  born  at  Leicester,  1814.  Y.  C. 
1833.  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1840.  Principal  Wil- 
liston  Seminary,  1849-63.  Teacher  in  Northampton  from 
1863.  Professor  of  Latin  and  Greek  in  Smith  College. 
Received  LL.  D.  from  Yale  in  1875.  He  died  May  3d, 
1878,    aged  sixty-four, 


KORTHAMPTO^ST    GRADUATES.  289 

THEODORE  JARVIS  CLARK. 

ISr.  N.,  son  of  Dea.  Enos  0.  W.  C.  1836.  Completed 
his  theological  course  at  Andover  Seminary  1841.  Pastorate 
of  Village  Chnrch,  Cummington,  1842-59.  Preached  at 
Bernardston,  1859-61.  At  Ashfield,  1862-65.  From  1865- 
80,    pastor   at   Northfield,  Mass.      Resides  at  Manchester,  Vt. 

SOLOMON   CLARK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Dea.  Luther  C,  Elm  street.  W.  C. 
1837.  Grad.  at  Theological  Seminary,  East  Windsor,  Ct., 
1840.  Pastorate  at  Petersham,  Mass.,  1841-51  ;  at  South 
Canton,  Mass.,  1851-58  ;  at  Plainfield,  1858.  In  1866, 
published  a  "Memorial  of  Mrs.  Susan  Woods  Vining." 
Author  of  Antiquities,  Historicals,  and  Graduates  of  North- 
ampton. His  son-in-law,  William  H.  Gardiner,  a  graduate 
of  Dartmouth  College,  1876,  is  chief  clerk  in  the  Bureau 
of   Education,    Washington,    D.    C. 

JAMES   DICKSON  CLARK. 

N.  N.,  born  1828,  son  of  Charles  C,  and  grandson 
of  Dea.  Luther  C.  W.  C.  1848,  having  an  honorary 
appointment.  Studied  at  the  Cambridge  Law  School  1849- 
50.  Admitted  to  practice  in  1851.  Taught  in  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  1855-64.  Afterwards  in  business  in  N.  Y.  His 
valuable  collection  of  minerals  and  shells,  called  the  J.  D. 
Clark  collection,  has  been  added  to  the  cabinet  of  Smith 
College.  Has  recently  been  engaged  in  the  preparation  of 
a  Biographical  Record  of  the  Kappa  Alpha  Society  in  Wil- 
liams College,  from  its  foundation.  Issued  in  handsome 
octavo,  at  New  York,  1881,  pp.  292.  Received  with  es- 
pecial favor  by  the  Society  and  by  other  friends  of  the  col- 
lege. 


290  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

ISAAC  EDWARDS  CLARK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Isaac  C,  the  druggist.  A  student  at  the 
High  School.  Y.  C.  1855.  Connected  with  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior,  Bureau  of  Education,  Washington, 
D.    C. 

ISAAC  CLARK. 

Son  of  Isaac  C.  A  physician  at  Canterbury,  Ct.  Y.  C. 
1856.  Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1861,  Or- 
dained Nov.  12th,  same  year.  His  first  settlement  at  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  1861-68.  Next  at  Aurora,  111.,  1868.  Next  at  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.  At  Rondout,  N.  Y.,  1874-82.  Installed  sixth 
pastor  of   Edwards  Church,  Northampton,  Feb.  15th,  1882. 

JOHN  B.   CLARK. 

Born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  1874.  Son  of  John  H.  and 
Charlotte  S.  Clark.  A.  C.  1872.  Spent  three  years  in 
Europe,  chiefly  at  Heidelburg  University.  For  four  years, 
professor  of  Political  Economy  and  History  at  Carleton  Col- 
lege,   Northfield,    Minn.      Now    professor    at    Smith    College, 

Northampton. 

CHARLES  NATHANIEL  CLARK. 

N.  N.,  born  April  4th,  1853,  son  of  Charles,  and  grandson 
of  Nathaniel.  A.  C.  1873.  Taught  one  year,  1873-74,  at 
the  Hitchcock  Free  High  School,  Brimfield,  Alass.  Studied 
with  Delano  &  Hammond.  Admitted  to  the  bar  February, 
1877.      Began  practice  the  same  year  in  his  native  town. 

LEWIS  CRAWFORD  CLARK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Luther  Clark,  a  banker  in  New  York.  H. 
C.  1874.  In  business  with  his  brother  in  Wall  street,  the 
firm  being  ('lark  &  Brother,  bankers. 

FRANK  EDGAR  CLARK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Israel  C.      Y.  C.  1877.     In  the  office  of  the 


KORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  291 

Williams    Manufacturing     Company.       Afterwards   travelling 
salesman  for  the  same. 

JOHN  PROCTOR  CLARK. 

Son  of  Isaac  E.,  born  in  Italy.  Y.  C.  1878.  Studied 
law  with  Timothy  G.  Spaulding,  Esq.  Assistant  in  Wolford's 
District  Attorney's  office,  South  District,  New  York. 

EZRA  E.  CLARK. 

Son  of  Rev.  Jonas,  Supt.  of  Water  Works.  Grad.  1880, 
at  the  Worcester  Technical  Institute.  In  1881,  accepted  a 
position  in  the  Deane  Steam  Pump  Company,  Holyoke. 

JOHN  P.   CLEVELAND. 

B.  C.  1821.  Pastor  of  Tabernacle  Church,  Salem,  and  at 
Detroit.  President  Marshall  College,  Michigan,  1838-43. 
Pastor  at  Cincinnati,  and  at  Providence,  R.  I.  At  North- 
ampton, in  the  First  Church,  1853-55,  and  elsewhere.  He 
died  at  Newburyport,  1873. 

ELISHA  GREENE  COBB. 

A  native  of  Canterbur}^,  Ct.,  born  May  2d,  1831.  A.  C. 
1857.  Union  Theological  Seminary,  N.  Y.  City,  1860.  Pas- 
tor Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  1860-66. 
Also  of  Florence  Congregational  Church  (Northampton),  1866. 
Has  served  on  the  School  Committee  of  Northampton. 

JOSEPH  GREEN  COGSWELL. 

Born  at  Ipswich,  Sept.  27th,  1786.  H.  C.  1806.  Visited 
the  East  Indies.  Tutor  at  Harvard,  1814-15.  Founder  and 
Associate  Principal  of  the  celebrated  Round  Hill  School,  at 
Northampton,  about  1823-34.  Supt.  of  the  Astor  Library, 
N.  Y.  City,  1843-60.  Died  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Nov. 
26th,  1871. 


292  ANTIQUIl^IES    AND    HISTORlCALS. 

THEODORE    COOK. 

N.    N.,    born    1815,    sou    of    Enos.       W.    C.    1842.       Yale 

Theological  Seminary  1845.      Settled  at  Stowe,  1847-52.      At 

Menasha,  Wisconsin,   1854-57.      At  Woonsocket,  R.   L,  1857- 

66.      Afterwards  edited  a   pajDer    in    Worcester.      He    died    in 

1871,  aged  fifty-six. 

FKANCIS  A.   COOK. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Gen.  Benjamin  E.  Grad.  at  Naval  Acade- 
my, Annapolis,  Md.,  1862.  Lieut.  Commander  of  the  Ply- 
mouth.     In  1881,  appointed  to  rank  of   captain. 

TIMOTHY  CHAPMAN  COOLEY. 

Of  Granville,  son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Cooley.  W.  0.  1816. 
Studied  law  with  his  uncle,  I.  0.  Bates,  Esq.  Resided  here 
a  few  years,  then  went  to  Indiana.  Made  teaching  his  princi- 
pal employment. 

CHARLES  W.  COOPER. 

Born  in  Calais,  Me.  A.  C.  1878.  Grad.  in  Medicine  at 
Harvard  University,  1877.  Located  in  Northampton,  1881, 
as  a  physician. 

EMERSON  DAVIS  CORNISH. 

Of  West  Hartland,  Ct.,  born  1849,  son  of  Simeon.     A.  C. 

1872.  Taught  in  Northampton  High  School.  Principal  of 
Bridgewater  High  School.  Died  June  29th,  1878,  aged 
twenty-nine. 

LOUIS  BRADFORD  COUCH. 

Son  of  B.  M.  C.  Born  1851,  in  Lee,  Mass.  Grad.  at 
New  York  Homeopathic  College,  1874,  receiving  the  first 
gold  medal  of  the  college,  for  a  new  discovery  of  a  new  med- 
icine, and  the  best  record  of  clinical  lectures.  Practicing 
in  Nyack,  N.  Y. 

MARK  EDWIN  COUCH. 

Brother  of  Louis,  born  1854,  in  Lee.  A.  C.  1878.  Grad. 
Columbia  College  Law  School,  1880.  Resides  at  North 
Adams. 


NOilTHAMPTON"    GRADUATES.  293  - 

i 

i 

D.   MANSFIELD   CRANE.  ' 

Boru  in  Brookline,  Vt.,  1812,  son  of  Thomas  Crane.    Pas-  j 

torate  at  Grafton,  Vt.,  1840-42  ;    at    North    Springfield,  Vt.,  : 

1842-45.       Next    at    Northampton,    from    1846    nntil    1858.  I 

Served    here    nine    years    on    the    School    Committee,   and  six 

years    as    Supt.    of    Public    Schools.      In    1853,    received    the 

honorary  A.  M.  from  Amherst  College.      After  twenty  years'  : 

absence,  he  returned  to  Northampton  and  began  pastoral  work 

August,  1878.      Died  September,   1879.  j 

ABEL  CUTLER.      . 

From  Sudbury,  Mass.,  born  1781.  W.  C.  1807.  His  ora- 
tion at  Commencement,  on  the  '^Misapplication  of  talent," 
won  much  applause.  Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary 
1810.  Pastor  of  Yarmouth,  N.  S.,  1816-33.  Not  after- 
wards settled.  For  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life,  health 
impaired,  lived  at   Northampton,    where    he  died    Feb.    27th, 

1859. 

SEBERT  E.   DAVENPORT. 

Native  place  Haydenville.  Son  of  Dr.  Joseph  N.  Dav- 
enport. Grad.  at  C'ollege  of  Dental  Surgery,  Philadelphia, 
1878.      Associated    with    his    father    in    dental    practice,    in 

Northampton. 

GEORGE  EDWARD   DAY. 

Born  at  Pittsfield,  1815.  Y.  C.  1833.  Yale  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  1838.  The  fourth  pastor  of  the  Edwards 
Chnrch,  Northampton,  1848-51.  Professor  of  Sacred  Litera- 
ture in  Lane  Theological  Seminary,  1851-66.  Keceived  D.  D. 
from  Marietta  College,  1856.  Professor  of  Hebrew  language 
and  Literature  and  Biblical  Theology  at  New  Haven  Theo- 
logical Seminary. 

WILLIAM  HOWARD    DAY. 

Educated  by  Dea.  J.  P.   Williston.     0.  C.  1847.      Edited  a 

paper  in  Virginia ;    now  an  editor  in  Harrisburg,  Pa. 
34 


294  ANTIQUITIES    AI^D    HISTORIC  ALS. 

CHARLES  DELANO. 

From  New  Braintree,  born  June  24th,  1820.  A.  C.  1840. 
Admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842.  The  same  jear  formed  a  jDart- 
nership  with  Hon.  Osmyn  Baker.  County  Treasurer;  also 
represented  this  district  one  term  in  Congress.  Associated 
in  practice  with  J.  C.  Hammond,  the  firm  being  Dehino  & 
Hammond.  President  of  the  Hampshire  Bar  Association. 
His  son,  Charles  Delano,  studied  law.  Admitted  to  Green- 
field bar.      Eegister  in  Bankruptcy,  and  lives  at  Greenfield. 

E.   E.   DENNISTON. 

Born  in  Ireland.  Pursued  his  professional  education  in 
Dublin  and  Edinburgh.  Settled  in  Northampton  about  1834. 
Formed  i:)artnership  with  Dr.  Barrett.  Denniston's  Water 
Cure,  west  of  Northampton  center,  was  long  a  place  of  resort. 

CHARLES  A.   DEWEY. 

Born  in  Williamstown.  W.  C.  1811.  Settled  in  North- 
ampton, 1826  ;  partner  for  a  time  with  Hon.  I.  C.  Bates. 
In  1830,  appointed  District  Attorney.  In  1837,  became  a 
judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  until  his  death,  1866.  For 
thirty  years  a  member  of  the  First  Church,  and  for  forty 
years  a  trustee  of  Williams  College.  Father  of  the  three 
next   mentioned. 

FRANCIS  HENSHAW  DEWEY. 

Five  when  the  family  settled  in  Northampton.  W.  C. 
1840.  Studied  law  at  Yale  and  Harvard  Law  Schools  ;  also 
with  C.  P.  Huntington,  Esq.,  in  N.  Admitted  to  practice 
in  1843,  and  settled  in  Worcester.  Appointed  judge  of  the 
Superior  Court,  1866.  Since  1869,  has  been  a  trustee  of 
Williams  College.  Received  LL.  D.  from  Williams  College, 
1873. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  205 

CHARLES  A.   DEWEY,  Jr. 

N.  N.,  born  1830.  W.  0.  1851.  Studied  law  at  Harvard, 
also  at  New  York,  where  he  went  into  practice.  In  1856, 
removed  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  In  1859,  settled  at  Milford, 
Mass;     is  judge  of  the  Police  Court. 

GEORGE  CLINTON  DEWEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1840.  W.  C.  1860.  Grad.  at  Medical  De- 
partment of  Columbia  College,  N.  Y.,  1863.  One  of  the 
Medical  Board  at  Bellevue  Hospital,  where  he  contracted  the 
disease,  which  terminated  his  useful  career  in  1864,  only 
twenty-three. 

OSCAR  DEWOLP. 

Born  in  Chester,  1835,  son  of  Dr.  T.  K.  DeWolf.  Grad. 
at  Berkshire  Medical  College  (Pittsfield)  185T;  also  at  New 
York  Medical  College  1858.  Studied  in  Paris,  France,  1858- 
61.  Served  as  surgeon  in  the  army  through  the  war.  In 
1866,  located  in  Northampton.  In  1871,  received  the  honor- 
ary degree  of  A.  M.  from  Williams  College.  In  1873,  left 
Northampton  to  reside  in  Chicago.  In  1877,  appointed 
Commissioner  of   Health  of  the  city  of   Chicago. 

LEWIS  EDWARDS  DICKINSON. 
N.    N.,  born    1791,    son   of   Josiah   D.      W.   C.   1811.      He 
studied    law    and    practiced    his   profession    at   Hackettstown, 
N.  J.,  where  he  died  about  1815. 

SIDNEY  DICKINSON. 

Son  of  Henry  D.  A  member  of  Amherst  College  class  of 
1874.      A  Journalist,  connected  with  the  Boston  Journal. 

EDWARD  DICKINSON. 

Another  son  of  Henry  D.  A.  C.  1876.  In  1879,  estab- 
lished himself  in  musical  profession  at  Elmira,  N.  Y. 


296  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

C.   H.    DICKINSON,  Jr. 

N.  N.,  son  of  C.  H.  D.  Grad.  at  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  New  York  city,  March  1st,  1878.  Now  physi- 
cian in  Faribault,  Minn. 

CHARLES  H.   DICKINSON. 
Son  of   Henry  D.      A.   0.   1881,      Took  the   Ely   prize    for 
composition,    Junior   year    1880.      At  Yale   Theological  Sem- 
inary. 

LEWIS   J.    DUDLEY. 

Native  of  Guilford,  Ct.,  son  of  Joel  D.  Y.  C.  1838. 
Tutor  in  Yale  1840-4(3.  Grad.  at  Yale  Law  School  1837. 
Taught  a  classical  school  in  Northampton,  1849-63.  Chosen 
State  Senator  1864;  also  a  Represenvative  several  times.  Trav- 
elled in  Europe  1880-81. 

JAMES  DUNLAP. 

Born    in    Pelham,    son    of  John    D.      Grad.    at    College   of 

Physicians    and    Surgeons,    New    York,   1850.      Settled    same 

year  in  Northampton. 

DANIEL  DWIGHT. 

N.    N.,    born    1699,    son    of    Nathaniel    D.      Y.    C.    1721. 
Taught  Hadley  Grammar  School  1721-23.      Became   connect- 
ed with   the    Church    of   England,    and   preached    for    nearly 
twenty   years,  near    Charleston,    S.    C,    where   he  died  1748,  » 
aged  forty-nine. 

MAJOR  TIMOTHY  DWIGHT. 
N.  N.,  born  1720,  son  of  Col.  Timothy,  and  grandson  of 
Nathaniel  D.  Y.  C.  1744.  An  extensive  trader  and  a  large 
landholder.  He  built  and  occupied  the  house  in  King  street 
now  owned  by  Dr.  Fisk.  For  many  years  selectman,  town 
recorder,  register  of  probate,  and  for  sixteen  years  judge  of 
the  court  of  common  pleas.  Possessed  great  muscular 
strength.      The   story   is   worth   preserving  that  "  Col.  Timo- 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  297 

thy,  father  of  Major  Timothy  Dwight,  once  threw  a  stone, 
not  only  across  the  Connecticut,  at  Northampton,  which  was 
some  forty  rods  from  the  point  where  he  stood,  but  thirty 
rods  more  beyond,  or  in  all  1165  feet."  Major  Timothy 
died   away  from  home,    1777,    aged  fifty-seven. 

PRESIDENT  TIMOTHY  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  son  of  the  foregoing,  born  May  14th,  1752.  His 
mother  was  Mary,  the  third  daughter  of  Jonathan  Edwards. 
In  college  he  attained  the  highest  rank  in  scholarship. 
Y.  C.  1769.  Tutor  at  Yale  College  for  six  years,  1771-77. 
Chaplain  in  the  Revolution,  1777-78.  Taught  in  Northampton 
nearly  five  years,  1778-83.  Pastorate  at  Greenfield  Hill,  Ct. 
Avhere  he  also  had  a  flourishing  school,  1783-95.  President 
of  Yale  College  and  professor  of  theology,  1795-1817,  the 
year  of  his  decease.  As  a  preacher,  an  author,  an  instructor 
of  young  men,  his  name  is  widely  known  in  this  and  other 
lands.  His  seven  sons  were  men  of  liberal  culture  ;  five  of 
them   were   graduates. 

MAJOR  JOSIAH   DWIGHT. 

A  native  of  Springfield,  born  1767,  son  of  Col.  Josiah. 
H.  C.  1786.  A  merchant  at  Stockbridge.  Next  at  North- 
ampton, in  business  with  his  brother-in-law,  Wm.  T.  Ed- 
wards. Clerk  of  the  Courts  of  Hampshire  county.  State 
Treasurer  of  Massachusetts.  His  family  numbered  seventeen 
children.  His  second  wife.  Madam  Ehoda  D.,  was  grand- 
daughter of  the  elder  President  Edwards.  He  died  1821, 
aged  fifty-three. 

THEODORE  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1764,  brother  of  the  president.  Settled  as  a 
lawyer  first  in  Haddam,  Ct.,  then  at  Hartford.  Became  a 
member  of  Congress ;   also  editor  and   proprietor  of  the   New 


298  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

York  Daily  Advertiser.  Author  of  the  '^History  of  the 
Hartford  Convention."  Received  honorary  A.  M.  from  Y. 
C.  1798.  He  died  at  New  York,  June  11th,  1846,  aged 
eighty-one. 

BENJAMIN  WOOLSEY  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1780,  son  of  President  D.  Y.  C.  1799.  A 
physician  in  Catskill,  N.  Y.  A  hardware  merchant  in  New 
York  city.  In  1831,  removed  to  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  and  be- 
came treasurer  of  Hamilton  College.  When  a  babe,  his 
nurse  spilled  a  basin  of  cold  water  carelessly  upon  him,  which 
gave  him  the  asthma  for  life. 

NATHANIEL    DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1763,  brother  of  the  president.  After  some 
years  of  medical  practice,  turned  his  attention  to  theology, 
and  settled  at  AVest  Chester,  Ct.,  also  in  Oswego,  N.  Y. 
Eeceived  honorary  A.  M.  from  Williams  College  in  1801 ; 
also  the  same  from  Yale  m  1815.  He  published  a  geogra- 
phy in  1796,  with  questions  and  answers,  extensively  used. 
He  died  at  Oswego,  1831,  aged  sixty-eight. 

TIMOTHY  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1807,  son  of  Cecil  D.  A.  C.  1827.  Tutor 
at  Amherst  1832.  Studied  for  the  ministry  at  New  Haven. 
While  preparing  to  be  a  missionary,  he  contracted  a  disease 
which  terminated  in  consumption.  He  died  1835,  aged 
twenty-seven. 

TIMOTHY  EDWARDS  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1808,  son  of  Major  Josiah  D.  Y.  C.  1827. 
Studied  law  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  with  his  mother's  cousin, 
Thomas  Devereux,  Esq.  Winning  in  his  manners,  upright 
in  his  deportment  and  prmciples.  His  career  ended  early. 
He   died   1833,    aged   twenty-five. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  299 

HENRY  AUGUSTUS  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1804,  son  of  Cecil  D.  W.  C.  1829.  Studied 
at  New  Haven  and  East  Windsor  Theological  Institutions. 
For  twenty  years  taught  at  Norfolk,  Va.  Since  the  late 
war  he  resided  in  his  native  town,  where  he  died  May  25th, 
1879,  aged  seventy-five. 

JOHN  L.    DWIGHT. 

A  musical  critic,  born  in  Boston,  1813.  H.  C.  1832. 
One  of  the  early  ministers  of  the  Unitarian  Church  in  N. 
In  1852  commenced  D  wight's  Musical  Journal,  of  which  he 
is  still  the  editor. 

ROBERT  OGDEN  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1802,  son  of  Major  Josiah  D.  Grad.  at 
Andover  Theological  Seminary  1834.  Ordained  Aug.  28th, 
1835,  a  missionary  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Madura  District, 
Southern  India,  where  he  died  1844,  aged  42.  Pronounced 
*^one  of  the   first  class   of  missionaries." 

WILLIAM  CECIL  DWIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1799,  son  of  Cecil  D.  Pursued  medical 
study  at  New  Haven.  Settled  at  Moscow,  N.  Y.  Eeceived 
honorary  A.  M.  from  Yale  1844.  Killed  at  Norwalk,  Ct. 
by  the   railroad   and   drawbridge   disaster,    May   6,    1853. 

ROBERT  O.   DWIGHT. 

Son  of  the  missionary  of  the  same  name.  Educated  at 
Yale  for  three  years.  Studied  in  Judge  Allen's  office,  North- 
ampton, also  attended  lectures  at  the  Albany  Law  School. 
Practiced  in  New  York,  1862-65.  A  lawyer  at  South  Had- 
ley  Falls.  Present  firm,  D wight  &  Casey,  attorneys  at  law, 
Holyoke. 


300  AITTIQUlTiES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

PLINY  EARLE. 

Grad.    at   the   Medical    Department    of    the    University   of 

Pennsylvania   in   1837.      Settled   in   Phihidelphia.       President 

of    Frankford    Insane   Asylnm.      In  1844,  appointed   medical 

superintendent   of    Bloomingdale   Insane   Asylum,    New   York 

city.      In    1864,    apj^ointed    superintendent    of    Northampton 

Lunatic    Hospital.      Has    written    and    published     much    on 

insanity.      Has  travelled    extensively   abroad,    visiting  lunatic 
asylums. 

JOHN  EDEN. 

The  youngest  son  of  an  English  family.  A  grad.  of  an 
English  University.  Educated  a  lawyer.  Resided  in  the 
upper  j)art  of  Elm   street. 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 

Son  of  Kev.  Timothy  E.,  of  East  Windsor,  Ct.  Com 
menced  the  study  of  Latin  at  six.  Y.  0.  1720.  Tutor 
at  Yale,  1724-26.  The  third  minister  of  Northampton. 
A  preacher,  theologian,  and  author  of  world  wide  celebrity. 
Uncommon  success  attended  his  ministry.  Pastorate  at 
Northampton,    1727-50. 

*^  Among  the  objects  of  interest  to  strangers  visiting 
Northampton,  may  be  mentioned  *  The  Edwards  Trees,'  three 
venerable  elms,  planted  probably  by  his  own  hands,  covering 
with  their  shade  the  ground  where  the  Edwards'  mansion 
once  stood."  Missionary  among  the  Stockbridge  Indians, 
1751-57.  In  January.  1758,  accepted  the  jjresidency  of 
Princeton  College,  N.  J.  Died  the  same  year,  and  but  a 
few  weeks  after  entering  on  its  duties,  ^*  Considered  the 
greatest  of   American  logicians  and  theologians." 

TIMOTHY  EDWARDS. 

N.  N.,  born  1738,  the  eldest  son  of  the  president.  P.  C. 
1757.      First,  a  merchant  in  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.  ;   in  1770, 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  301 

settled  in  business  at  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  where  he  lived  over 
forty  years.  A  member  of  the  State  Council,  1775-80. 
Judge  of   Probate,  1778-87. 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 

N.  N.,  born  1745,  son  of  the  president.  Sometimes  called 
the  younger  Edwards.  P.  C.  17G5.  Tutor  at  Princeton, 
1766-69.  Studied  with  Rev.  Dr.  Bellamy,  at  Bethlem, 
etc  Settled  in  New  Haven,  1769-95.  At  Colebrook,  Ct., 
1796-99.  President  of  Union  College,  Schenectady,  1799- 
1801.      He  died  1801,  aged  fifty-six. 

Commencing  with  the  first,  five  Jonathan  Edwards,  father 
and  son,  may  be  instanced,  representing  five  successive  gen- 
erations, all  graduates,  viz.  :  Rev.  Jonathan  of  Northamp- 
ton, Yale  College,  1720  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Jonathan,  Princeton  Col- 
lege, 1765;  Jonathan  Walter  Edwards,  an  eminent  lawyer, 
Yale  College  1789;  Jonathan,  Y.  C.  1819;  Jonathan,  Y.  C. 
1863,  a  physician  of   New  Haven,  Ct. 

PIERPONT  EDWARDS. 

N.  N.,  born  1750,  the  youngest  son  of  the  president.  P. 
C.  1768.  A  lawyer,  lived  at  New  Haven,  a  soldier  of  the 
revolution,  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  and  after- 
wards Judge  of  the  U.  S.  District  Court  for  the  District  of 
Connecticut.      He  died  April  14th,  1826,  aged  seventy-six. 

HENRY  L.   EDVV^ARDS. 

A  native  of  Southampton,  son  of  Luther  E.  A.  C.  1847. 
Studied  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary.  Tutor  at  Am- 
herst College,  1849-52.  Pastor  at  South  Abington;  also  at 
North  Middleboro.  Supt.  of  schools  at  Northampton,  1873- 
76.      Manager  of  the  Eastern   Agency   of   the    New   England 

Loan  and  Trust  Company.      Residence  at  Northampton. 
35 


302  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

FRANKLIN  EDWARDS. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Mr.  Oscar  Edwards.  Y.  C.  1874.  A  clerk 
in  the  Northampton  Savings  Bank.  In  March,  1881,  became 
connected  as  clerk  with  the  house  of  Soutter  &  Co.,  Bankers, 
78  Broadway,  N.  Y.  City. 

JOSEPH  ELIOT. 

Son  of  Eev.  John  E.  of  Koxbury,  commonly  called  the 
apostle  to  the  Indians.  H.  C.  1658.  In  1602,  became  an 
assistant  of  Eev.  Mr.  Mather,  with  a  view  to  settlement. 
His  stay  did  not  exceed  two  years. 

RUFUS  ELLIS. 

Born  in  Summer  street,  Boston,  1819,  son  of  David  Ellis. 
H.  0.  1838.  Grad.  at  Cambridge  Divinity  School,  1841. 
Pastor  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  Northampton,  ten  years, 
from  June,  1843.  An  efficient  member  of  the  School  Com- 
mittee. May  4th,  1853,  was  installed  over  First  Church  in 
Boston.  Received  D.  D.  from  Yale  m  1874.  Published  Sun- 
day School  Manual,  memoir  of  Hon.  Samuel  Howe.  Editor 
of   Christian  Register. 

WILLIAM  ROGERS    ELLIS. 

N.  N.,  son  of  the  foregoing.  H.  C.  1867.  An  iron  man- 
ufacturer. Has  a  rolling  mill  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston. 
Married  a  granddaughter  of   Hon.  E.   H.  Mills. 

EDWARD   CLARKE  ELLIS. 

N.  N.,  second  son  of  Rev.  Rufus  E.  II.  C.  1868.  Con- 
nected with  the  Pacific  Mills,  partner  in  one  of  the  largest 
manufacturing  commission  houses,  24  Franklin  street,  Boston. 

ARTHUR  BLAKE  ELLIS. 
The  third  son  of   Rev.    R.    E.      Born    in    Boston.      H.    C. 
1875.      Grad.   at  Cambridge  Law  School,  1877.      A  lawyer  in 
Boston,  office  40  Water  street.      In  1881,  visited  Europe. 


NORTHAMPTON     GRADUATES.  303 

LEVI  HARRY  ELWELL. 
N.   N.,  son  of   Henry  E.      A.  C.    1875.      An    inytructor   of 
Latin  and  Greek  in  Amherst  College. 

C.   B.   FERRY. 

From  Moscow,  N.  Y.  Grad.  at  Theological  Seminary, 
Meadville,  Penn.,  1859.  Minister  of  Unitarian  Church, 
Northampton. 

JONATHAN  FISHER. 

A  native  of  New  Braintree,  born  17G8.  When  quite 
young,  1773,  liis  father  moved  into  that  part  of  Northamp- 
ton, afterwards  included  in  Westhampton.  H.  C.  1792.  Or- 
dained 1796,  at  Bluehill,  Me.,  where  he  preached  for  half 
a  century.  A  remarkable  man,  a  good  farmer,  a  carpenter, 
a  clock  maker,  a  portrait  painter,  a  wood  engraver,  a  poet, 
well  versed  in  Hebrew,  wrote  out  three  thousand  sermons, 
an  early  riser,  a  great  walker,  a  faithful  christian.  Under 
him,  the  town  became  noted  for  industry,  thrift,  good 
morals,    and   religious   principle. 

WILLIAM  FISHER. 

N.  N.,  born  1775,  brother  of  the  preceding.  In  early  life 
he  lived  in  Sunderland  and  worked  at  a  trade.  W.  C.  1805. 
Studied  theology  with  Dr.  Hyde  of  Lee.  Ordained,  1807, 
pastor  at  Darien,  Ct.  Settled  also  in  Meredith,  N.  Y.  His 
last  years  were  spent  in  Indiana,  where  he  owned  a  farm. 
He   died,    1840,    aged   sixty-five. 

GEORGE  FISHER. 

Native  of  Franklin,   grandson  of  Hon.  Jabez.  F.     Learned 

the   trade   of   a   mason,    which   he    followed    in    Boston,    but 

afterward    turned    his     attention     to     study.      B.     U.     1813. 

Studied  law   at   Litchfield,    Ct.,    then  went   to  Western  New 


304  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTOEICALS. 

York.  Practiced  some  twenty  years  in  Oswego,  till  1836. 
Settled,  tlie  same  year,  in  Northampton,  where,  in  Novem- 
ber, the  youngest  of  his  four  sons  was  born.  About  1853, 
he  removed   to   Brooklyn,    where   he   died   1861. 

FREDERIC  PITKIN  FISHER— FRANCIS  PORTER  FISHER. 
Twin   brothers,    sons   of   the   preceding.      In   their   class   at 
Harvard,    there  ,were   two    sets    of    twins,    the    Fishers    and 
the   Wileys.      H.    C.    1848.      The   two  brothers   are    partners 
in  the   insurance   business   in  Chicago. 

GEORGE  HUNTINGTON  FISHER. 
The   third  son   of  George  F.,    Esq.      II.   0.   1862.     Studied 
law,  and  went  to  Brooklyn,  N.   Y.,  in  1855,  where   he    prac- 
tices his  profession,  the  firm  being  Fisher,   Hurd  &  Voltz. 

EDWARD  THORNTON  FISHER. 

N.  N.,  brother  of  the  preceding,  born  1836.  H.  C.  1856. 
An  instructor  in  the  Adelphi  Academy,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Also  a  lecturer. 

SAMUEL  A.  FISK. 
Born  in  Cambridge,  son  of  William  F.  Y.  C.  1844. 
Grad.  1846,  at  the  University  of  Penn.,  the  medical  depart- 
ment. Settled  in  Northampton,  December,  1848.  President 
Mass.  Medical  Society,  1870-71.  Lecturer  on  Physiology  and 
Hygiene  at  Smith  College. 

SAMUEL  AUGUSTUS  FISK. 

An  adopted  son  of  the  preceding.  Y.  C.  1877.  Studied 
medicine  in  Boston.      Practicing  his  profession  in  Colorado. 

AUSTIN  FLINT. 

Born  1812,  at  Petersham,  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  H.  Grad.  at 
Medical    Department    of    Harvard    University,    1833.      Went 


NOKTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  305 

into  medical  practice  first  in  Northampton;  afterwards  at 
Buffalo.  One  of  the  founders  of  Buffalo  Medical  College. 
Occupied  the  chair  of  theory  and  practice  in  medical  depart- 
ment of  University  of  Louisville.  Moved  to  New  York  in 
1859.  Professor  Medical  College  of  Bellevue  Hospital. 
Author  of  several  standard  works  in  the  profession.  Re- 
ceived LL.  D.,  1881,  from  Yale  College. 

AUSTIN  FLINT,  Jr. 
N.  N.,  born  March  28th,  1836,  son  of  the  foregoing. 
Grad.  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  1857. 
Studied  in  Europe,  1861.  Held  the  chair  of  Physiology  in 
Long  Island  College  Hospital.  Professor  in  Bellevue  Hos- 
pital Medical  College.  Author  of  several  works.  Appointed 
by  the  governor.  Surgeon  General  of   New  York  State. 

JAMES  FOLEY. 

N.  N.  Y.  C.  1862.  Studied  law.  Has  been  a  traveling 
salesman  for  a  New  York  firm,  dealers  in  chemicals  and  dye 
stuffs. 

CHARLES  E.    FORBES. 

Native  of  Bridge  water,  born  Aug.  25th,  1795.  The  family 
removed  to  Enfield,  1796.  B.  U.  1815.  Read  law  in  En- 
field, and  at  Northampton.  Admitted  to  the  bar  in  1818. 
Represented  the  town  in  the  State  Legislature  in  1825,  and 
in  1835.  One  of  the  committee  on  the  revision  of  the 
Statutes  in  1835.  Chairman  of  the  County  Commissioners, 
and  for  several  years  was  County  Attorney.  In  1844,  ap- 
pointed Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  but 
declined.  In  1847,  accepted  a  seat  on  the  Bench  of  the 
Common  Pleas.  In  1848,  transferred  to  a  vacancy  on  the 
Bench  of  the  Supreme  (.'Ourt  of  Mass.  This  he  resigned  in 
less  than  one    year.      In  1848,  received    LL.  D.    from    Brown 


306  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

University.  In  1856,  was  one  of  the  Presidential  Electors, 
and  voted  for  Fremont.  Died  2  P.  M.,  Feb.  13th,  1881. 
By  his  will,  gave  to  the  town  of  Northampton  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars  for  a  free  library. 

STILES  FRENCH. 

Y.  0.  1827.  Taught  on  Kound  Hill  in  Coggswell  &  Ban- 
croft's school.  Eesided  in  New  Haven,  and  made  teaching 
his  life  work.  Removed  to  Northampton  in  1875  to  educate 
an  only  daughter  at  Smith  College.     Died  Monday,  May  9tli, 

1881. 

EDWARD  S.   FRISBEE. 

A.  C.  1860.  Studied  theology  at  Union  Seminary,  New 
York.  Principal  of  the  Northamj^ton  High  School  four 
years.  President  of  the  Wells  Female  College,  Aurora,  N. 
Y.      Received  D.  D.  from  Amherst  College  in  1878. 

EDWARD  E.  GAYLORD. 
Born  at  Ashford,  Ct.,  1849.  Son  of  Col.  Horace  G.  Y. 
C.  1873.  Grad.  Yale  Medical  School,  1878.  Spent  one  year 
in  London  hospitals.  Began  practice  in  Northampton,  1879, 
and  in  Florence,  1880.  From  his  second  year  in  college, 
obliged  to  pay  his  own  way. 

EDWARD  GERE. 
N.  N.,  son  of  Isaac  G.   and  the  father  of  Henry   S.    Gere. 
Y.   C.   1818.      After  leaving  college,    being   in   feeble    health, 
he  directed  his  attention  to  farming,  and  settled  in  Williams- 
burg, where  he  died  in  1832. 

WILLIAM  GERE. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Isaac  G.  Y.  C.  1827.  Has  resided  chiefly 
at  the  South,  where  he  still  lives,  teaching  having  engaged 
most  of   his  time. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  307 

COLLINS  H.    GERE. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Henry  S.  Gere.  A  member  of  the  class  of 
1877  in  Amherst  College^  until  January  1st,  Senior  year, 
when  he  became  assistant  editor  of  the  Hampshire  Gazette. 
Present  residence  in  Colorado. 

THOMAS  GILFILLAN. 

Born  January  4th,  1829,  son  of  Moses  G.  W.  C.  1851. 
Grad.  at  Berkshire  Medical  College  in  1855.  Practiced  at 
Cummington.  Assistant  surgeon  in  the  army  from  1862-64. 
A  physician  and  surgeon  in  Northampton. 

JAMES  GILFILLAN. 

Brother  of  Thomas  G.  W.  C.  1856.  He  edited  a  paper 
at  Rockville,  Ct.  Studied  law  in  New  York  City.  Clerk 
in  the  Treasury  Department,  Washington,  D.  C.  Is  now 
Treasurer  of  the  United  States. 

WILLIAM  OSMYN  GOKHAM. 

From  Hardwick,  born  1814.  A.  C.  1838.  Resided  in 
Northampton  as  a  lawyer,  1845-55.  Subsequently  ordained 
over  an  Episcopal  Church,  1857,  at  Newark,  N.  J.  After- 
ward at  Warsaw,  N.  J.  Resigned  in  1862,  on  account  of 
ill  health,  and  returned  to  Massachusetts.  Became  assistant 
editor  of  the  Athol  Chronicle.  He  died  suddenly,  of  heart 
disease,  Nov.  7th,  1869,  aged  fifty-five. 

DANIEL  D.   GORHAM. 

Born  in  West  Rutland,  Vt.,  1817.  Worked  on  the  farm 
till  twenty-two.  M.  C.  1847.  Principal  of  the  Chami3hiin, 
N.  Y.  Academy,  three  years,  and  of  Franklin  Academy,  at 
Malone,  N.  Y.,  ten  years.  Next  became  Princij^al  of  the 
High  School  at  Montpelier,  Vt.,  for  eleven  years.  Accepted 
an  invitation  to  become  Principal  of  the   Northampton  High 


308  ANTIQUITIES    AI^D    HISTORICALS. 

School.  This  responsible  post  he  has  occupied  ten  years, 
and  still  occupies.  During  these  thirty  continuous  years  in 
teaching,  he  has  been  absent,  in  term  time,  only  three  weeks. 
While  in  college,  Mr.  Gorham  had  the  instructions  of  Prof. 
Solomon  Stoddard,  whose  remains  rest  in  the  Northampton 
cemetery. 

ALBERT  GOULD. 

A  native  of  East  Woodstock,  Ct.  Grad.  at  Wilbraham 
Academy,  1856,  being  the  valedictorian.  Entered  Wesleyan 
University,  but  poverty  and  poor  health  prevented  his  grad- 
uating in  the  class  of  1860.  Minister  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  Northampton,  1877-79. 

ASHLEY  M.   GOULD. 

Born  in  Lower  llorton.  Nova  Scotia,  Oct.  8th,  1859.  A. 
C.  1881.  Has  a  position  in  the  Post-office  Department, 
Washington,  D.  0. 

GEORGE  GRISWOLD. 

B.  U.  1821.  The  first  minister  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
in  Northampton.      He  died  1829. 

PHILIP  HALE. 

N.  N.,  son  of  W.  B.  Hale,  Esq.  Y.  C.  1876.  Studied 
at  the  Albany  Law  School,  and  admitted  to  the  bar.  Ke- 
sides  in  Albany,  pursuing  musical  study  and  practice;  has 
charge  of  the  organ  and  singing  in  St.  Peter's  Church  of 
that  city.  , 

EDWARD  HALE. 

N.  N.,  son  of  W.  B.  Hale.  At  the  Senior  Festival,  June 
20th,  1879,  he  delivered  the  class  poem  described  as  brilliant 
and  original  in  conception  and  treatment.  H.  0.  1879. 
Living  in  Rome,  Italy,  engaged  in  study  and  teaching. 


KOHTHAMfTOK    GRADUATES.  309 

EDWARD  BROOKS  HALL. 

H.  C.  1820.  The  first  minister  of  the  Unitarian  Church 
in  Northampton.  Received  D.  D.  from  Harvard,  1848.  He 
died  1866. 

CHAUNCEY  A.   HALL. 

Born  in  Brattleboro;  afterwards  lived  at  Blandford.  A. 
C.  1833.  Became  a  physician,  long  connected  with  the 
water  cure  establishment  on  Round  Hill.  He  died  at  Madi- 
son, Wisconsin,  1856,  aged  forty-three. 

GORDON  HALL. 

Son  of  the  missionary  of  the  same  name.  Born  in  Bom- 
bay, India,  Nov.  4th,  1823.  Prepared  for  college  under 
Judge  John  Hall,  Ellington,  Ct.  Y.  C.  1843.  Grad.  Yale 
Theological  Seminary,  1847.  Tutor  in  Yale,  1847-48.  Pas- 
torate in  Wilton,  Ct.,  1848-52,  and  of  the  Edwards  Church, 
Northampton,  1852-79.  Received  D.  D.  from  Amherst  Col- 
lege, 1864.  Traveled  in  Europe  one  year,  1866-67.  Died 
away  from  home  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  5,  1879,  aged 
fifty-six. 

GORDON   ROBERT  HALL. 

Born  in  Wilton,  Ct.,  son  of  the  preceding.  A.  C.  1873. 
Grad.  1880,  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  in 
New  York.  Successful  in  a  competitive  examination,  for  a 
position  upon  the  House  Staff,  at  Mount  Sinai  Hospital,  N. 
Y.  Became  physician  there  a  year  and  a  half.  Since  Oct. 
Ist,  1881,  has  been  in  practice  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y. 

JUNIUS  MERWIN  HALL. 

Son    of    Dr.  Hall.      Grad.    at    Columbia    College    Medical 

Department,  New    York,  1874.     Present    residence,    Chicago. 

One  of   the  Health  Commissioners  of  that  city. 
36 


310  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

JOHN  CHESTER  HAMMOND. 

A  native  of  Amherst,  born  Aug.  15th,  1S42,  son  of  Salem 
H.  A.  C.  1865.  Studied  law  with  Hon.  Charles  Delano, 
and  admitted  to  the  bar  October,  1868,  associated  with  Mr. 
Delano,  the  firm  being  Delano  &  Hammond. 

E.   B.   HARDING. 

Originated  at  Charlotte,  Vt.,  born  Aug.  12th,  1823,  son  of 
Caleb  H.  Grad.  at  Medical  Department  of  Bowdoin  Col- 
lege, Me.,  1863.  Eemoved  to  Northampton  1864.  Died 
April  12th,  1877. 

JOSEPH  HAWLEY. 

Son  of  Thomas  H.  of  Eoxbury.  H.  C.  1674.  A  school- 
master, representative  of  the  town  at  the  General  Court, 
captain  of  a  military  company.      He  died  1711. 

THOMAS   HAWLEY. 

N.  N.,  son  of  the  above,  born  1688.  H.  C.  1709.  Or- 
dained and  settled  in  Eidgefield,  Ct.,  1713-38.  Town  clerk 
twenty-four  years.  His  daughter,  Dorothy,  married  Kev. 
Nathan  Birdseye,  settled  in  West  Haven,  Ct.,  with  whom 
she  lived  sixty-nine  years.  Mr.  Birdseye  lived  to  be  one 
hundred  and  three  years,  five  months  and  nine  days.  His 
wife  lived  to  be  eighty-eight. 

MAJOR  JOSEPH  HAWLEY. 

IST.  N.,  born  1724,  son  of  Lieut.  Joseph  H.,  and  grandson 
of  Joseph  II.  Y.  C.  1742.  Settled  in  his  native  town. 
As  a  lawyer,  an  advocate  of  American  liberty,  he  stood 
among  the  foremost  of  his  cotemporaries.  He  rendered  im- 
portant service  in  his  seat  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
1764-76,  a  critical  period  in  the  history  of   the  colonies. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  311 

SAMUEL  HENSHAW. 
Born  in  Milton,  1744.  When  young,  a  mechanic.  By  his 
own  endeavors  he  fitted  for  college.  H.  C.  1773.  Studied 
theology  and  became  an  acceptable  preacher.  Failure  of 
voice  compelled  him  to  leave  the  ministry  for  the  legal  pro- 
fession. Came  to  Northampton  in  1788.  In  1797,  appointed 
judge  of  Probate ;  afterwards  was  judge  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas.  A  trustee  of  Williams  College,  18U2-9. 
He  died  1809,  aged  sixty-five. 

JOHN  HUNT  HENSHAW. 

Son  of  the  preceding.  Educated  for  three  3"ears  at  Yale 
College,  a  member  of  the  class  of  1805.  Admitted  to  the 
bar   in   Hampshire  County. 

JAMES  HIBBEN. 
Born  near  Charleston,  S.  C,  1799.  Cola.  C,  S.  C,  1817. 
Studied  law  in  Charleston.  In  1832  he  settled  in  Nortli- 
amjiton.  A  deacon  in  the  Edwards  Church  nearly  thirty- 
seven  years.  He  died  1871,  in  his  seventy-second  year, 
universally  esteemed. 

JAMES  HIBBEN,  Jr. 

Son  of  the  preceding.  A.  C.  184G.  Grad.  at  New  York 
Medical  College,  1852.  Resided  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  died  1856,  aged  thirty-one. 

E.   W.   HIGBEE. 

Born  at  Charlotte,  Vt.,  Feb.  13th,  1849,  son  of  P.  V. 
Higbee.  Received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  at  the  University 
of  Vermont,  1871.  Began  practice  at  Northampton,  October, 
1871.      Visited  Europe  in  1881. 

CHARLES  DUDLEY  HILLS. 
W.  U.   1863.      Minister,  1865-7,  of   the    Methodist    Church 
in  Northampton. 


312  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORIC  ALS. 

DAVID  HILL. 

Originated  at  Perinton,  N.  Y.,  born  1838,  son  of  Eobert 
H.  Enlisted  in  the  army  June,  1862,  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  captain.  A.  C.  1871.  Taught  at  Williston  Seminary 
1871-76.  Grad.  at  Boston  University  Law  School  1878. 
The  same  year  settled  in  Northampton  as  a  lawyer. 

GEORGE  STILLMAN  HILLARD. 

From  Machias,  Me.,  born  1808.  H.  C.  1828.  A  teacher 
in  Coggswell  &  Bancroft's  School  on  Round  Hill,  also  a  stu- 
dent of  law  in  the  Northampton  Law  School.  Practiced 
law  in  Boston.  U.  S.  District  Attorney  for  Massachusetts, 
1867-70.  Married  Susan,  daughter  of  Judge  Samuel  Howe 
of  Northampton.  Published  a  series  of  School  Readers, 
extensively  used.      He  died  Jan.  21,  1879. 

SAMUEL  HINCKLEY. 

A  native  of  Brookfield.  Y.  C.  1781.  Studied  law  with 
Gov.  Caleb  Strong.  Register  of  probate  twenty-nine  years, 
and  judge    of  probate  for  seventeen  years.      He  died  1840. 

GEORGE   HINCKLEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1790,  son  of  Judge  H.  Y.  C.  1810.  Stud- 
ied and  entered  on  the  practice  of  law  in  his  native  town, 
with  flattering  prospects.  An  early  departure  awaited  him. 
He  died  1818,  aged  28. 

SAMUEL   LYMAN   HINCKLEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1810,  second  son  of  Jonathan  H.  Lyman,  Esq. 
W.  C.  1830.  In  1831,  his  name  was  changed  from  Lyman 
to  Hinckley.  Admitted  to  the  bar  in  Northampton  in  1833. 
In  1845  appointed  sheriff  of  Hampshire  county  until  July, 
1851.      He  died  in  the  city  of   Paris,  1871,  aged  sixty-one. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  313 

HENRY   ROSE   HINCKLEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1838,  son  of  the  foregoing.  Y.  C.  1859. 
Grad.  at  Harvard  Law  School,  1864.  Lieutenant  in  Mass. 
Cavalry  in  the  Eebellion.      By  profession  a  lawyer. 

SAMUEL   PARKER   HINCKLEY. 

Born  in  Boston,  1850,  son  of  Samuel  L.  H.  H.  C.  1871. 
Did  not  study  a  profession.  Present  residence  321  Dart- 
mouth street,  Boston. 

DANIEL   HITCHCOCK. 

Y.  C.  1761.  A  lawyer.  Practiced  for  a  number  of  years 
in  Northampton.     Deceased  1777. 

HORACE   I.    HODGES. 

Born  in  Savoy,  1818.  W.  C.  1812.  Studied  with  Bates 
&  Huntington,  1842-4-4.  Commenced  practice  1847.  In 
1857  was  judge  of  insolvency.  In  the  war  of  the  Eebellion, 
commissioned  as  quartermaster,  with  the  rank  of  captain. 
Was  drowned  in  1864,  attempting  to  carry  a  dispatch  to  the 
gunboat  Miami.      His  age  was  forty-six. 

J.    G.    HOLLAND. 

Born  in  Belchertown,  1819.  His  first  residence  here  was 
in  connection  with  the  family  of  the  late  Judge  Dewey, 
attending  the  public  school.  He  graduated  at  the  Medical 
School,  Pittsfield,  1843,  and  engaged  for  three  years  in  pro- 
fessional practice.  Was  superintendent  of  schools  one  year 
in  Vicksburg,  Miss.  Associate  editor  of  Springfield  Eepubli- 
can  1849-66.  Conducted  Scribner's  Monthly  eleven  years, 
1870-81.  His  publications  have  been  numerous  and  valuable. 
Died  suddenly  at  his  home  in  New  York  city,  Oct.  12th, 
1881. 

WESLEY   O.    HOLWAY. 

H.  C.  1860.  Minister  of  the  Florence  Methodist  Church, 
1877-8. 


314  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

JOHN   HOOKER. 

The  fourtli  minister  of   Northampton.      A  native  of  Farm- 

ington,   Ct.,  son    of    John    H.    of  that    town.      Y.    C.    1751. 

Ordained  December,  1753.      His  pastorate  continued  till  1777. 

The    church    received    numerous  accessions,  in  all  404,  under 

his  ministry. 

JOHN   HOOKER. 

N.    N.,    son    of    the    minister,    born    1761.      Y.    C.    1782. 

Studied  law  with  his  uncle.  Col.   Worthington  of  Springfield, 

where    he    settled.      Chief   justice   of   the    court   of  common 

pleas ;    also  judge  of  probate.      He  was   deacon   in   the   First 

Church  in  Springfield,  active  in  the  religious   and   benevolent 

movements  of  the  town,  county  and  commonwealth,  an  early 

member  of   the    corporation   of   Amherst   College,  and  one  of 

the  founders  of   the  American   Board.      He    died    1829,    aged 

sixty-eight. 

SAMUEL  HOPKINS. 

Born  in  Hadley,  the  oldest  son  of  John  H.  D.  C.  1827. 
Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary  1831.  Pastor  at 
Montpelier,  Vt.,  Saco,  Me.  Resided  at  Northampton,  1845- 
66,  Preached  subsequently  at  Standish  and  Topsham,  Me. 
Author  of  ''Lessons  at  the  Cross,"  ''History  of  Virginia," 
"The  Puritans  and  Queen  Elizabeth. 

ERASTUS  HOPKINS. 
From    Hadley,    born    1810,    son    of    John.      D.    C.     1830. 
Studied  at  Princeton  Tlieological  Seminary.      Ordained  1835. 
Resided    in    Northampton,    1841-72.      The    first   president  of 
the  Conn.   R.   R.   R.      For   additional   particulars,  see   North- 
ampton Ladies  who  Married  Ministers,  number  fifty-two. 

LEWIS  S.   HOPKINS. 
Brother    of     Samuel    and    Erastus.       Graduated    at    South 
Carolina    Medical    College,    Charleston,    1838.      Bought    the 


KORTHAMPTON^    GRADUATES.  315 

**  Henshaw  house,"  whicli  he  occupied  1849-59.     RemoYcd  to 
Bridgewater,  Mass.,  1864. 

GEORGE  HOPKINS. 

Son  of  Samuel,  born  1837.  Grad.  at  Medical  Department 
of  Columbia  College,  N.  Y.,  1862.  Assistant  surgeon  in  the 
Mississippi  Squadron,  1862.      Xow  preaching  at  Covert,  N.  Y. 

WILLIAM  SWINTON  BENNETT  HOPKINS. 

Born  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  May  2d,  1836,  son  of  Erastus 
and  Sarah  Bennett  H.  W.  C.  1855.  Grad.  at  Harvard 
Law  School  1858.  Practiced  at  Ware,  1858-61.  Entered 
the  army  as  captain  of  the  ''Ware  Co."  in  31st  Mass.  Vols., 
a  com2:)any  raised  by  himself.  Promoted  to  Lieut.  Col.  Dec. 
1862.  Commanded  the  regiment  through  first  Eed  River 
and  Port  Hudson  campaign.  Located  at  Greenfield,  October, 
1866,  partner  of  Hon.  David  Aiken.  District  Attorney  for 
the  Counties  of  Hampshire  and  Franklin,  1872-5.  Removed 
to  Worcester,  October,  1873,  partner  of  Hon.  Peter  C.  Bacon. 
Bacon,  Hopkins  &  Bacon. 

EDWARD  WASHBURNE  HOPKINS. 

N.  N.,  born  Sept.  8th,  1857,  son  of  Lewis  S.  C.  C,  N. 
Y.,  1878.  His  admirable  graduating  essay  secured  to  him  a 
three  years'  fellowship  of  unprofessional  study  abroad. 

H.   C.   HOVEY. 

Son  of  Prof.  Edmund  0.  H.,  of  Wabash  College,  born  in 
Indiana,  Jan.  28th,  1833.  Descended  from  Daniel  H.,  Ips- 
wich, 1637,  and  from  Elder  Brewster  of  the  Mayflower. 
Through  his  mother  linked  to  some  of  the  old  families  of 
Northampton,  being  descended  from  Rev.  Timothy  Edwards 
and  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard.      Wabash   College  1853.      Grad. 


316  ANTIQUITIES    Al^D    HISTORICALS. 

at  Lane  Theological  Seminary,  1857.  Tutor  at  Wabash  Col- 
lege for  two  years.  Pastorate  at  Florence  1863-66.  Now  at 
New  Haven,  Ct.,  settled  May  1st,  1876. 

SAMUEL  HOWE. 

Son  of  Dr.  Estes  H.  of  Belchertown,  born  1785.  W.  C. 
1804.  Studied  at  Judge  Reeves'  law  school,  Litchfield,  Ct. 
Settled  at  Worthington,  1808-20.  Next  at  Northampton, 
judge  of  common  pleas.  In  connection  with  E.  H.  Mills, 
opened  a  law  school,  having  at  one  time  forty  students.  He 
died  1828,  aged  forty-three. 

ESTES  HOWE. 

Son  of  Samuel,  born  in  1814,  at  Worthington.  H.  C. 
1832.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School,  1835.  Practiced 
at  Cincinnati,  afterwards  at  Pomeroy,  0.  Now  treasurer  of 
the  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Gas  Co. 

FORDYCE   MITCHELL   HUBBARD. 

Son  of  Roswell  H.  W.  C.  1828.  Officiated  two  years  as 
tutor.  Professor  of  Latin  in  the  University  of  North  Caro- 
lina. Afterward  minister  of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Hyde 
Park,  N.  Y.  Received  D.  D.  at  Trinity  College,  and  also 
at  Columbia  College  in  1860.      Resides  at  Raleigh,  N.  C. 

RODOLPHUS  B.    HUBBARD. 

Originated  in  Sunderland,  born  1803.  U.  C.  1829.  Prin- 
cipal of  Northampton  High  School  for  several  years. 

JOHN  P.  HUBBARD. 

Y.  C.  1848.  A  former  minister  here  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 


KORTHAMPTON"    GRADUATES.  317 

ERASMUS   D.    HUDSON. 

Of  Torringford,  Ct.,  born  1805.  Grad.  at  Berkshire 
Medical  College  1827.  General  Agent  of  the  American 
Anti-Slavery  Society,  1837-49,  residing  a  part  of  the  time  at 
Northampton.  Since  1849  devoted  himself  to  mechanical 
surgery.      Died  near  New  York  city,  Dec.  31st,  1880. 

ERASMUS  DARWIN  HUDSON. 

N.  N.  born  Nov.  10th,  1843.  C.  C.,  N.  Y.,  1864,  and 
at  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  N.  Y.,  1867.  Since 
1868  has  practiced  medicine  in  New  York  city.  Attending 
physician  at  Northwestern  Dispensary,  1870-72,  also  at  Trin- 
ity Chapel  parish.  Professor  at  Woman's  Medical  College  of 
New  York  Infirmary.  Married  Laura,  youngest  daughter  of 
Dr.  Samuel  Shaw  of  Plainfield,  Mass.  A  contributor  of 
Johnson's  Universal   Encyclopedia. 

GEORGE  W.    HUGHES. 

Born  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  son  of  John  R.  W.  U.  1875. 
Entered  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Preached 
at   Chatham   Four  Corners,  N.  Y. 

JOSEPH  HUNT. 

N.    N.,    born   1708,    son    of  the    second    Jonathan    Hunt. 

Y.  C.  1729.      He  lived  in  his  native   town.      Grandfather  of 

the   first  Joseph   Hunt   Breck.  He   died    Sept.    14th,    1786, 
aged  seventy-eight. 

JOHN  HUNT. 

N.  N.,  born  1744,  son  of  Capt.  John.  H.  C.  1764. 
Taught  Grammar  School  1765-69.  Studied  theology  with 
Rev.  John  Hooker.  His  public  career  began  in  1769.  Hav- 
ing received  a  call  from  the    Old    South    Church,  Boston,  he 

settled  there  in  1771 ;   continued  only  about  four  years.      He 
37 


318  AI^TIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

died  from  consumption,  at  his  father's,  Dec.  20th,  1775. 
His  people  in  Boston  were  exceedingly  attached  to  him.  A 
monument,  erected  by  them,  stands  at  his  grave  in  the 
Northampton  cemetery.  Mr.  Hooker's  sermon  at  his  funeral, 
from  the  words  '^Thou  destroyest  the  hope  of  man,"  was 
published. 

EBENEZER  HUNT. 

N.  N^.,  born  1744,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  King  H. 
H.  C.  1764.  Studied  with  Dr.  Pynchon  of  Springfield. 
Became  eminent  in  his  profession.  A  member  of  the  State 
Senate  for  several  years,  also  a  presidential  elector  (the  John 
Adams  ticket). 

SETH  HUNT. 
N.  N.,  born  1748,  usually  styled  Col.  Seth,  brother  of  Dr. 
Ebenezer.  Y.  C.  1768.  He  lived  in  Northampton ;  died 
soon  after  his  marriage,  1779.  An  only  son,  born  1780,  a 
few  months  after  his  father's  death,  educated  by  his  uncle, 
Dr.  Ebenezer,  became  a  lawyer  and  Governor  of  the  Territory 
of  Alabama.  To  distinguish  him  from  his  father,  he  was 
called  Gov.  Seth.  His  enterprises  led  him  to  cross  the  At- 
lantic five  or  six  times.      He  died,  1846,  at  Walpole,  N.  H., 

aged  sixty-six. 

EBENEZER  HUNT. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Doctor  Ebenezer.  H.  0.  1795.  For  nearly 
forty  years  a  druggist.  A  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  1820-1.  His  dwelling-house  stood  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  the  Town  Hall.  He  died  while  absent 
from  home  at  Cambridge. 

DAVID  HUNT. 

N.  N.,  born  1773,  brother  of  the  druggist,  succeeded  his 
father  as  a  physician.  Was  distinguished  for  his  botanical 
knowledge.  Ktceived,  1818,  from  Yale  College  the  honorary 
degree  of  M.   D.      He  died  1837,  aged  sixty-four. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  319 

CHARLES  P.  HUNTINGTON. 
From  Hadley,  born  1802,  son  of  Rev.  Dan  II.  H.  C. 
1822.  A  student  at  Judge  Howe's  law  school.  Admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1826  or  '27,  practiced  first  at  Adams,  next 
at  Northampton.  After  1837,  he  entered  into  partnership 
with  Isaac  C.  Bates,  which  continued  till  the  death  of  Mr. 
Bates,  1845.  In  18-18  in  partnership  with  Judge  Wm.  Allen, 
1848-51.  In  185  L  became  connected  with  Judo-e  Forbes  as 
chamber  council,  or  private  council,  1851-55.  Moved  to 
Boston  1855.  Appointed  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  for 
Suffolk  County,    1855-59.      Died  at  Boston,   30th  Jan.,  1868. 

CHARLES  WHITING  HUNTINGTON. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Hon.  Charles  P.  Fitted  for  college  at  the 
Northampton  High  School.  H.  0.  1854.  Studied  for  about 
a  year  in  his  father's  office,  also  with  C.  T  &  T.  H.  Rus- 
sell in  Boston,  for  a  few  months,  also  at  Harvard  Law 
School.  Admitted  to  the  Suffolk  bar  July,  1856.  Began 
practice  Aug.  1st  of  same  year  at  Ware,  where  lie  resided 
two  years.  Removed  to  Boston,  formed  a  partnership  with 
the  late  Jas.  B.  Robb,  continuing  only  two  years ;  since 
then  has  had  no  joartner. 

ALBERT  C.   HUSSEY. 

Born  at  Fairfield,  Me.  Entered  Colby  University,  Wa- 
terville,  Me.,  1857.  Taught  several  years.  Grad.  Newton 
Theological  Seminary  1872.  Settled  at  Grafton,  Mass., 
1872-79.  Came  to  Northampton  in  1879.  Received  A.  M., 
1876,  from   Colby  University. 

A.   W.   JEFFERSON. 
Minister    of    the    Baptist    Church    in    N.      A.     C.     1876. 
Resigned   his   pastoral   charge   at   Northampton   1878. 


320  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

WILLIAM  L.   JENKINS. 
H.    C.    1848.       Grad.    at   Harvard    Divinity    School,    1855. 
Pastor  of  the  Unitarian  Society  of  N.      Afterwards  j^reached, 
1871-79,    at   Brattleboro,    Vt. 

LABAN  H.   JOHNSON. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Cyrus  J.  Grad.  at  Medical  Department 
of  Yale  College  1876.  Went  to  Cuba  and  has  not  been 
heard   from  since. 

JONATHAN  JUDD. 

Son  of  William  J.  of  Waterbury,  Ct.,  born  1719.  Y.  C. 
1741.  Ordained  June  8th,  1743,  first  minister  of  the  second 
precinct  or  parish  in  Northampton.  In  1753,  Southampton 
was  incorporated  as  a  town.  After  a  ministry  of  sixty  years 
he  died  1803,  aged  eighty-four.  ^'Mr.  Judd,  the  aged  pas- 
tor, directed  his  executor  to  burn  all  his  sermons,  and  they 
were   consumed,    probably   near   two   thousand." 

JONATHAN  JUDD,   Jr. 

N.  N.,  born  1744,  son  of  the  foregoing.  Y.  C.  1765. 
Taught  Hatfield  Grammar  School.  In  1769,  began  to  trade 
in  Southampton,  continued  almost  fifty  years.  Was  a  Jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  a  representative,  and  in  other  public 
business.  He  died  1819,  aged  seventy-five.  Never  married. 
^*  His  property  of  $14,000  went  to  his  brothers,  sisters,  and 
nephew,  who  gave  $1,000  to  the  Hampshire  Education 
Society." 

HOPHNI  JUDD. 

From  Westhampton,  born  1793,  brother  of  Sylvester  J., 
the  editor.  W.  C.  1812.  He  studied  with  Hon.  Eli.  P. 
Ashmun,  and  became  partner  of  Isaac  C.  Bates.  He  and 
his  partner,  at  one  time,  had  the  management  of  the 
Hampshire  Gazette.  He  died  at  his  father's,  1818,  aged 
twenty-four. 


NORTHAMPTO]^    GRADUATES.  321 

SYLVESTER  JUDD. 
Born  in  Westliampton,  son  of  the  editor  and  antiquarian. 
Y.  C.  1836.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Divinity  School,  1840. 
Pastorate  of  Unitarian  Church  at  Augusta,  Me.,  1840-53. 
Published  three  vohimes,  '^'^  Margaret,"  ^^Pliilo,"  and  ^*  Rich- 
ard Edney."  Was  a  public  lecturer,  a  man  of  kindly 
sympathies.      He   died   1853,    aged   forty. 

CHAUNCEY  PARKMAN  JUDD. 
Brother   of   the  foregoing,  born   1815.     Y.   C.   1840.     Stud- 
ied law   with    C.     P.     Huntington,    Esq.,     of    Northampton. 
Established   himself  at   Reading ;    has   an   office   in   Reading, 
and   another   in   Boston. 

GEORGE  KINGSLEY. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Enos  K.  Fitted  for  college  with  the 
intention  of  entering,  but  music  gained  the  ascendency. 
His  life  has  been  devoted  to  musical  culture.  Among  mus- 
ical  composers   and  performers,   his  name  stands  conspicuous. 

MERRICK  KNIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  Jan.  15th,  1817,  son  of  Erastus.  A.  0. 
1846.  Grad.  at  Theological  Institute  of  Connecticut,  1849. 
Pastor  of  several  churches  in  Connecticut.  Present  resi- 
dence.   East   Hartland,    Ct. 

CHARLES  L.   KNOWLTON. 

Son  of  the  late  Dr.  Charles  K.  of  Ashfield.  Born  in 
Hawley,  May,  1824.  Grad.  at  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
Philadelphia,  1845.  Practiced  in  Worthington  two  years ; 
in  Ashfield   eighteen  years  ;    and   now  in  Northampton. 

EBENEZER  LANE. 

N.  N.,  born  Sept.  17th,  1793,  son  of  Capt.  Ebenezer, 
who  lived   on   Bridge    street.      H.     C.     1811.      Studied    law. 


322  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

In  1817,  settled  on  the  Western  Reserve  at  Elyria,  Ohio. 
In  1818,  married  Frances  Ann,  daughter  of  Gov.  Roger 
Griswold,  of  Lyme,  Ct.  In  1824,  is  Judge  of  Common  Pleas. 
In  1830,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio.  Resigned 
his  commission  as  Chief  Justice  in  1845.  President  of  the 
Columbus  and  Erie,  the  Mad  River,  and  the  Junction 
Railroads,  1845-55.  Counsel  and  resident  director  Illinois 
Central  Railroad,  1855-59.  In  March,  1859,  left  home  on 
a  European  tour ;  absent  one  year  and  one  month.  Hon- 
ored with  the  degree  of  LL.  D.  from  Harvard  College ; 
also,  member  of  several  historical  societies.  He  died  June 
12th,  1866,  aged  seventy-three.  His  son,  Dr.  E.  S.  Lane, 
is   a   physician   in  (.'liicago. 

HERBERT  W.   LATHE. 

Born  at  Worcester.  Y.  C.  1873.  Grad.  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  1877.  Settled  in  Portland,  Me.,  from 
September,  1877,  to  January,  1881.  Installed  fourteenth 
pastor   of   First   Church,    Northampton,    April   26th,    1882. 

WILLIAM  M.   LATHROP. 

Of   West    Springfield,    son    of    Samuel.      Y.    C.    1825.      A 

lawyer    in    Enfield.       Afterwards     in    New    York.      Pursued 

mercantile   business.      Next  a  clerk  with  Stoddard  &  Lathrop 

in   Northampton.      Later   in   the   insurance  business,    Boston. 

He   died   in    1876. 

JOHN  B.    LEARNED. 

Born  in  Worcester  county.  Grad.  at  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  New  York,  1865.  Settled  in  Florence 
(Northampton),  1869. 

WILLIAM  S.    LEAVITT. 

Son  of  Rev.  Joshua  L.,  born  1822,  at  Putney,  Vt.  Y. 
C.  1840.      Grad.   1844   at    the    Union    Theological    Seminary, 


NORTHAMPTON"    GRADUATES.  323 

New  York.  Pastorate  of  Eliot  Cliurcli,  Newton,  1845-53. 
Of  First  Presbyterian  Cliurch,  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  1853-67.  At 
Northampton,  First  Church,  1867-81.  Served  on  the  Library 
Committee  over  ten  years. 

FRANK   N.   LOOK. 

Son  of  Dwight  B.  Look,  born  in  Leominster,  Mass.  A. 
C.  1877.     Treas.  of  the  Florence  Manufacturing  Company. 

WATSON  LOUD. 

A  native  of  Westhampton,  son  of  Caleb  L.  In  Hunt  & 
Barrett's  office,  1829-32.  Grad.  at  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
Philadelphia,  1833.  June,  1840,  started  for  Michigan.  Set- 
tled at  Romeo,  Michigan,  1846.  In  the  mercantile  business, 
1852-70.      Still  resides  at  Romeo. 

PHINEHAS  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1706,  son  of  John  L.  who  lived  at  South 
Farms.  He  entered  Yale,  and  died  before  completing  his 
course,  aged  twenty. 

DANIEL  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1718,  son  of  Benjamin  L.  Y.  C.  1745. 
Steward  of  Yale  from  1747-52.  A  lawyer  in  New  Haven, 
Ct.  ;  a  representative,  and  a  member  of  the  city  council  ; 
also  a  deacon,  greatly  esteemed.      He  died  1788,  aged  seventy. 

ELIHU  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1720,  a  brother  and  classmate  of  Daniel.  Y. 
C.  1745.  Studied  law  and  lived  in  New  Haven,  a  partner 
with  his  brother.  An  officer  in  the  battle  of  Lake  George. 
He  died  1758,  aged  thirty-three  ;    never  married. 

ISAAC  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1725,  son  of  Capt.  Moses.  L.  Y.  C.  1747. 
Pastor  in  York,  Me.,  1749-1809.  The  ancestor  of  a  dis- 
tinguished   lineage    near    Boston.       His    daughter,    Mary   L., 


324  ANTIQUITIES    AiSTD    HISTORICALS. 

married  Rev.  Joseph  Buckminster,  D.D.,  Portsmouth,  N.   H. 
He  died  1810,  aged  eighty-five. 

JOB  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1735,  brother  of  Rev.  Isaac.  Y.  C.  1756. 
A  physician  at  York,  Me.  He  died  1791,  aged  fifty-six. 
One  of  his  sons,  Isaac,  became  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of   New  Hampshire. 

WILLIAM   LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1755,  son  of  Capt.  William.  Y.  C.  1776. 
Entered  the  army  of  the  Revolution,  and  served  with  dis- 
tinction through  the  war.      Member  of   Congress.      Consul  to 

London,    under    Jefferson,    where    he    died    1811  ;    buried    in 
Gloucester  Cathedral,  England. 

TIMOTHY  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  Aug.  15th,  1753,  son  of  Phinehas.  Y.  C. 
1777.  Studied  with  Dr.  Ebenezer  Hunt.  Married  Elizabeth 
Pomeroy,  1780,  and  died  1792,  aged  thirty-nine. 

JOSEPH  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1767,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph.  Y.  C.  1783. 
Admitted  to  the  bar  1787.  Clerk  of  the  Courts  1798-1810. 
Judge  of  Common  Pleas  and  of  Probate,  1810.  President 
of  the  old  Hampshire  Bank,  1812-35.  Sheriff,  1816-45. 
He  died  1847,  aged  eighty. 

MICAH  JONES  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1767,  son  of  Elisha  L.  Y.  C.  1785.  Studied 
with  Dr.  Ebenezer  Hunt.  Began  practice  at  Bennington, 
Vt.  Afterwards  a  druggist  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  at  Montreal. 
He  died  1851,  aged  eighty-four. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  325 

SIMEON  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1777,  son  of  Elias,  farmer  at  South  Farms. 
D.  C.  1801.  Went  to  London  as  secretary  to  Gen.  William 
Lyman.  Afterwards  made  several  voyages  to  foreign  ports. 
Employed  by  his  brothers,  as  supercargo.  He  died  1832, 
nearly  fifty-five. 

JONATHAN  HUNTINGTON  LYMAN. 

The  only  son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Lyman  of  Hatfield,  born  1783. 
Y.  C.  1802.  Read  law  in  New  Haven  with  Judge  Chaun- 
cey,  commenced  practice  at  Hatfield,  but  in  1808  removed  to 
Northampton.  Frequently  represented  the  town  in  the  Leg- 
islature, either  in  the  House  or  the  Senate.  In  1825,  was 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  and  County  Attor- 
ney. Married  1808,  Sophia,  only  daughter  of  Judge  Hinck- 
ley. They  had  thirteen  children.  He  died  Nov.  3d,  1825, 
aged  forty-two. 

JOB  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1781,  brother  of  Simeon.  D.  C.  1804. 
Studied  law  and  practiced  at  Woodstock,  Vt.  Cashier  of 
the  old  Vermont  State  Bank,  President  of  the  Woodstock 
Bank,  a  member  of  the  Governor's  Council,  and  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  He  died  at  Burlington,  Vt.,  1870,  aged 
eighty-nine. 

THEODORE  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1790.  Originated  at  South  Farms,  son  of 
Justin.  D.  C.  1810.  Went  to  Judge  Reeve's  Law  School, 
Litchfield,  Ct.,  but  his  health  failed.  He  died  in  1812,  with 
consumption,  at  Fairfield,  on  his  way  to  New  York,  only 
twenty-two. 

SAMUEL  FOWLER  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1799,  son  of  Judge  Joseph  L.      H.    C.    1818. 

He  studied  at   the    Litchfield    Law    School,    and    commenced 
38 


326  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

practice  in  liis  native   town.      Eegister   of   Probate,    1827-55. 
Judge  of   Probate,  1858-73,  wlien  he  resigned. 

JOSEPH  LYMAN. 
N.  N.,  born  1809,  son  of  Jonathan  H.,  Esq.  Y.  C.  1828. 
Studied  law  one  year  with  Hon.  Lewis  Strong,  and  then  with 
the  Hon.  Jonathan  Sloane,  at  Eavenna,  Ohio.  Began  prac- 
tice at  Eavenna  ;  afterwards  resided  at  Cleveland,  until  1865. 
Was  a  general  commission  merchant  and  land  agent.  Since 
1865,  has  been  in  New  York,  residing  at  Englewood,  N.  J. 
His  son,  Samuel  Hinckley  Lyman,  Y.    C.    1861,  is    a   lawyer 

in  New  York. 

HENRY  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  Nov.  23d,  1809,  son  of  Theodore.  A.  C. 
1829.  Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1832.  Or- 
dained Oct.  11th,  1832,  at  Northampton.  Married  Miss 
Eliza  Pond  of  Boston.  June  10th,  1833,  embarked  at 
Boston,  with  other  missionaries  for  Batavia,  Isle  of  Java. 
Left  Batavia  with  his  associate,  Mr.  Munson,  in  April, 
1834,  on  an  exploring  tour.  On  the  28th  of  June,  the 
two  suffered  martyrdom,  Lyman  only  twenty-four,  Munson's 
age  was  thirty.  A  monument  to  Lyman's  memory  stands 
near  Brainerd's  grave   in   the   Northampton   cemetery. 

JOSEPH  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1812,  son  of  Judge  Joseph.  H.  C.  1830. 
From  the  study  of  law,  he  passed  to  that  of  civil  engi- 
neering and  mining.  He  died  1871,  at  Jamaica  Plain, 
near   Boston,    aged  fifty-nine. 

EPHRAIM  LYMAN. 

Born  at  Goshen,  Ct.,  1810.  His  grandfather  was  a 
native     of     Northampton.      Y.     0.     1832.      Grad.     at    Yale 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  327 

Theological  Seminary,  1835.  Ordained  pastor  at  Plymoutli, 
Ct.,  afterwards  at  Washington  in  the  same  State.  He 
removed  to  Northampton  in  1864.  Spent  his  last  years 
in  Minnesota.  He  died  in  Minneapolis,  Oct.  29th,  1880,  at 
the  age  of  three  score  and  ten. 

JOHN  CHESTER  LYMAN. 
N.  N.,  born  1813,  son  of  Jonathan  H.  H.  0.  1833. 
Studied  law  at  Harvard  Law  School,  and  practiced  in  Bos- 
ton. Has  since  travelled  extensively,  and  for  many  years 
resided  at  Doylestown,  Pa.  His  wife,  Mary  Morris  of  D., 
is  a  daughter  of  a  member  of  Congress,  formerly  from 
Penn. 

JONATHAN  HUNTINGTON  LYMAN. 
N.  N.,  born  1816,  fourth  son  of  J.  H.  L.,  Esq.  Grad. 
at  Medical  Department  of  University  of  Penn.,  1840.  Prac- 
ticed at  Enfield,  then  in  California.  By  marriage,  a  grand- 
son of  President  Timothy  Dwight.  Present  residence  not 
ascertained. 

GEORGE    HINCKLEY  LYMAN. 

N.  ISr.,  born  1819,  son  of  J.  H.  L.,  Esq.  Grad.  at  Medical 
Department  of  University  of  Penn.,  1843.  Studied  abroad 
at  the  Universities  of  Paris  and  Dublin.  In  1845,  settled 
in  Boston.  Lt.  Colonel  and  Medical  Inspector  U.  S.  A., 
1861-65.  Senior  Brigade  Surgeon  of  U.  S.  Vols.  Son-in- 
law  of  James  T.  Austin,  formerly  Attorney  General  of  Mass. 

DAVID  HINCKLEY  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1820,  son  of  J.  H.  L.,  Esq.  H.  C.  1839. 
He  settled  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  1842.  Editor  and  owner  of 
Zanesville  Courier.  At  Chicago,  1852 ;  at  New  York,  1856  ; 
at  Warsaw,  0.,  1861;  at  Cleveland,  1867;  at  Pittsburg, 
1868,  where  he  edited  the  Pittsburg  Gazette.  He  died  at 
Warsaw,  1876,  aged  fifty-six. 


328  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

JAMES  FOWLER  LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1830,  son  of  Judge  Samuel  F.  H.  C.  1850. 
Studied  at  the  Harvard  Law  School.  Engaged  in  the  life 
insurance  business,  and  lives  at  Newark,  N.  J. 

BENJAMIN  SMITH   LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  1835,  son  of  Judge  Samuel.  H.  0.  1855. 
Studied  geology,  mining,  and  kindred  branches,  two  years  in 
France  and  one  year  in  Germany.  A  mining  engineer  in 
Philadelphia,  also  in  the  service  of  the  British  government, 
in  Hindoostan,  exploring  the  mineral  resources  of  that  coun- 
try.     Present  residence  in  Northampton,  on  Elm  street. 

ROBERT   W.    LYMAN. 

N.  N.,  born  March  27th,  1850,  son  of  Ahira  L.  M.  A. 
0.  1871.  From  1871  to  1878,  engaged  in  railroad  and  city 
engineering,  surveying  and  teaching.  Studied  law  with  Bond 
Bros.  &  Bottum  of  Northampton,  admitted  to  the  bar  at 
Northampton,  June  27th,  1878.  In  October  following,  entered 
Boston  University  Law  School,  and  completed  the  course  in 
one  year,  graduating  June  4th,  1879.  Located  at  Belcher- 
town,  Aug.  19th,  1879,  where  he  practices  his  profession. 

HART  LYMAN. 

Son  of  Eev.  Ephraim  L.,  born  1851,  at  Plymouth,  Ct. 
Y.  C.  1873.  On  the  editorial  staff  of  the  New  York 
Tribune. 

JOSEPH   LYMAN. 

Grandson  of  Judge  Joseph,  and  son  of  Edward  H.  E. 
Lyman  of  New  York,  also  of  Northampton  (having  a  sum- 
mer residence  on  Fort  Hill).  Born  1851.  H.  C.  1873. 
Grad.  also  at  the  College  of   Miners,  N.  Y.  City,  1877. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  329 

FRANK  LYMAN. 

Son  of  E.  H.  K.  L.,  bom  1852.  H.  C.  1874.  Grad.  at 
the  College  of   Miners,   1877. 

FRANK  CLIFFORD   LYMAN. 

Grandson  of  Theodore  Lyman,  of  Easthampton  formerly. 
Y.  C.  1876.  Taught  in  New  York  City,  afterwards  in 
Peeksville,  N.  Y. 

JOHN   CHESTER   LYMAN. 

A  native  of  New  Haven,  Ct.,  born  1851,  son  of  J.  Hunt- 
ington Lyman,  M.  D.  Studied  two  years  at  the  Yale 
Scientific  Department.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School, 
1877.  Same  year  went  to  California.  Practiced  at  San 
Francisco  also  at  San  Rafael. 

MARSHALL  MALTBY. 

Born  1845,  a  native  of  Belle  Grove,  Kentucky,  son  of  L. 
Maltby,  Esq.,  who  came  to  Northampton  in  poor  health  in 
1857.  Became  Treasurer  of  Northamjjton  Savings  Bank,  1866. 
His  son,  Marshall,  spent  his  Freshman  year  at  Amherst  College, 
and  his  Sophomore  year  at  Yale.  His  health  broke  down, 
was  in  the  West  several  years.  Grad.  at  Dental  College,  N. 
Y.  City,  1870.  Commenced  practice  there  immediately. 
Has  ever  since  resided  in  that  city. 

ANSON   MALTBY. 

Younger  son  of  L.  M.,  Esq.,  born  Sept.  8th,  1847.  Grad. 
at  Columbia  College  Law  School,  May  19th,  1869.  Com- 
menced practice  November,  1871,  in  New  York  City,  where 
he  still  lives. 

GILBERT  B.   MANLEY. 

From  Potsdam,  N.  Y.  W.  C.  1857.  Principal  of  North- 
ampton High  School  for  a  number  of  years.  Afterward 
taught  at  Malone,  N.  Y.  Subsequently  editor  of  a  news- 
paper. 


330  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

G.   W.   MANSFIELD. 

W.  U.  1853.  Minister  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  North- 
ampton,   1871-72. 

WILBUR  B.   MARPLE. 

Born  at  C'ohimbus,  0.,  son  of  Nathan  and  Harriet  New- 
ell M.,  and  grandson  of  Dea.  Enos  Clark,  Elm  street,  North- 
ampton. A.  C.  1877.  Taught  at  Warren,  0.  Grad.  at 
Sterling  Medical  College,  Columbus,  1881.  Practicing  at 
Washington   Court   House,    Ohio. 

EBENEZER  PORTER  MASON. 
Born  in  Washington,  Ct,  Y.  C.  1839.  After  graduating, 
the  family  moved  from  Northampton  to  Marshall,  Mich., 
where  young  Mason  died,  1840.  Says  one  :  '^  Mason  and 
I  were  classmates  in  college ;  he  was  one  of  the  most  tal- 
ented and  promising  young  men  I  ever  knew,  by  far  the  first 

man  in  our  class." 

ELEAZAR  MATHER. 

Son  of  Eev.  Eichard  M.,  minister  of  Dorchester;  born 
May  13th,  1637.  H.  C.  1656.  Came  to  Northampton  July, 
1658.  Ordained,  three  years  later,  June  18th,  1661,  the  first 
minister.  During  the  eleven  years  of  his  ministry  he  saw 
numerous  accessions  to  the  church.  At  his  death,  July  24th, 
1669,  the  churches  made  great  lamentation,  in  view  of  the 
bereavement. 

WARHAM  MATHER. 

N.  N.,  born  1666,  son  of  Eev.  Eleazar.  H.  C.  1685. 
Has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  native  Northampton  grad- 
uate. He  preached  some,  also  taught  school.  Finally  set- 
tled at  New  Haven,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  1710-16.  Judge 
of  Probate,  1716-27.  He  died  in  New  Haven,  1745,  accord- 
ing to  an  inscription  in  the  porch  of  the  Congregational 
Church  that  stands  on  the  grave  of  him,  his  wife,  and  others. 
He  left  no  children. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  331 

SAMUEL  MATHER. 

Originated  at  Windsor,  Ct.,  born  Jan.  6tli,  1706.  His 
father,  Dr.  Samuel,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College  in  1698, 
was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  physicians  of  his  day. 
His  grandfather  was  Eev.  Samuel  Mather,  third  minister  in 
Windsor.  Samuel  M.,  who  settled  in  this  town,  grad.  at 
Yale  in  1726.  Studied  medicine,  and  practiced  some  fifty 
years,  and  died,  1779,  in  his  seventy-fourth  year.  He  served 
as  Selectman  from  twelve  to  fourteen  times,  also  officiated 
as  a  magistrate.  Elisha  Mather,  M.  D.,  who  died  in  1840, 
was  a  descendant. 

SAMUEL  MATHER. 

N.  N.,  son  of  the  foregoing,  was  born  June  10th,  1737. 
Y.  C.  1756.  Studied  medicine.  Commenced  practice  in 
1759,  at  Westfield.  Married,  July  30th,  1761,  Grace  Mosely 
of  that  town.  Considered  the  most  skillful  physician  in  the 
old  County  of  Hampshire.  Appointed,  April  19th,  1754, 
and  again  Feb.  4th,  1762,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  was 
for  many  years  Town  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  Westfield. 
February,  1762,  appointed  one  of  the  Special  Justices  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas.  He  died  in  Westfield,  Dec.  17th, 
1808,  aged  seventy-one.  His  son,  Samuel,  grad.  at  Yale, 
1784,  a  lawyer.  Died  March  15th,  1789,  aged  twenty-four, 
at  Westfield. 

THOMAS  W.   MEEKINS. 

Born  in  Williamsburg,  son  of  Dr.  Thomas  Meekins. 
Studied  dentistry  with  Dr.  J.  W.  Smith  of  Northamj^ton. 
Entered  Berkshire  Medical  College,  1849,  and  grad.  at  the 
same,  1852.  Commenced  the  practice  of  dentistry  in  North- 
ampton, 1853.  In  January,  1857,  married  daughter  of  Eev. 
Dr.  B.  M.  Hill  of  New  York. 


332  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

ELIJAH  HUNT  MILLS. 

Son  of  Kev.  Benjamin  M.,  first  minister  of  Chesterfield, 
born  1776.  Left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  and  was  adopted 
by  his  maternal  uncle,  Mr.  Elijah  Hunt.  For  nearly  fifty 
years  Northampton  was  his  home.  W.  C.  1797.  Among 
Massachusetts  lawyers,  he  reached  a  high  position.  Was 
Eepresentative  in  Congress,  1815-20.  Chosen,  in  1830,  XJ. 
S.  Senator,  being  the  third  elected  to  that  body  from  North- 
ampton, and  became  a  prominent  member.  He  was  chosen 
for  a  second  term,  but  obliged  by  the  failure  of  his  health 
to  resign  his  seat  in  1827.      He  died  in  1829,  aged  fifty- two. 

ELIJAH  HUNT  MILLS,   Jr. 

N.  N.,  born  Sept.  13th,  1810,  son  of  the  senator.  Edu- 
cated three  years  at  Yale.  Early  went  into  a  decline  and 
died,  NoYcmber,  1830,  at  Charleston,  S.  C. 

JOHN  MITCHELL. 

From  Connecticut.  Y.  C.  1821.  Editor  of  Christian 
Spectator.  Pastor  at  Fair  Haven,  1830-36.  Edwards  Church, 
Northampton,  1838-42.  Afterwards  at  Stratford,  Ct.  He 
died,  1870. 

WILLIAM  WARD  MITCHELL. 

Native  of  Cummington,  son  of  Chester  M.  W.  C.  1839. 
Principal  of  Northampton  High  School  from  May,  1854,  to 
July,  1857.  Kesidence,  Cummington.  Chosen  Eepresenta- 
tive to  the  Legislature  in  November,  1881. 

WALTER  GOODWIN  MITCHELL. 

Son  of  Wm.  Ward.  W.  C.  1870.  The  valedictorian  of 
his  class.  Associate  principal  of  the  Northampton  High 
School    from  September,  1875,  to  March,  1881. 


KORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  333 

JOHN  LOTHROP  MOTLEY. 

Was  born  in  Dorchester,  18  U.  Attended  school  on  Eound 
Hill,  Northampton,  Coggswell  &  Bancroft's,  for  about  three 
years.  H.  C.  1831.  Received  LL.  D.  from  University  of 
New  York  City,  1860.  A  celebrated  historian.  U.  S.  Am_ 
bassador  to  Austria  and  England.  He  died  May  30th,  1877, 
aged  sixty-three. 

PATRICK  V.   MOYCE. 

Born  in  Ireland,  Sept.  18th,  1823.  Grad.  at  Jesuits'  Col- 
lege, Montreal,  1858.  First  resident  pastor  of  St.  Mary's 
Church  (Romish)  in  Northampton.  Spoke  the  Irish,  French 
and  German  languages,  also  several  Indian  dialects.  He  died 
Aug.  5th,  1872,  at  Hinsdale,  aged  forty-nine. 

JOSEPH  MUENSCHER. 

B.  U.  1821.  Studied  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary, 
1825.  Minister  of  St.  John's  Church,  Northampton,  1827- 
31.  Professor  of  Sacred  Literature  at  Theological  Seminary, 
Gambler,  0.,  1833-41.      At  Mt.  Vernon,  0.,  1841-55. 

CHARLES  MUNDE. 

Born  at  Frieberg,  Saxony,  in  1805.  Grad.  at  University 
of  Furca  about  1835,  also  in  medicine  a  few  years  later.  Came 
to  this  country  SejDtember,  1849.  Conducted  the  Florence 
Water  Cure,  1850-65,  when  it  burned  down.  Is  now  living 
in  Austria. 

PAUL  F.   MUNDE. 

Born  in  Dresden,  Saxony,  Sept.  7th,  1846,  son  of  the  fore- 
going. Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School,  1866,  and  at 
Vienna  University,  1871.  Tutor  at  Wurzburg,  Bavaria. 
Practiced    in    New    York    since   1873.      Editor   of  a  Medical 

Periodical,  also  professor  at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College. 
39 


334  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

EDWARD  BEECHER  NIMS. 

Bom  1838.  From  Sullivan,  N.  H.,  son  of  Setli  N.  W. 
C.  1862.  Grad.  at  University  of  Vermont  at  Burlington, 
1864.  Assistant  surgeon  in  the  army,  1864  to  August,  1865. 
Assistant  physician  Brattleboro  Insane  Asylum,  Feb.,  1866, 
to  Dec,  1868.  Came  to  Northampton  Lunatic  Asylum  Dec. 
14,  1868. 

JOHN  B.   O'DONNELL. 

Born  1847,  at  Inch,  Kerry  county,  Ireland,  son  of  James 
O'D.  Family  removed  to  United  States  1852,  and  to  North- 
ampton center  1856,  to  Florence  1859.  Grad.  Boston  Uni- 
versity Law  School  1877,  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  Studied 
another  year  at  the  University.  Admitted  to  the  Bar  in 
June,  1878.  On  1st  of  July  following  opened  an  office  and 
commenced  practice  in  Northampton. 

T.   B.   O'DONNELL. 

Born  in  Ireland,  1849.  Bead  law  in  the  office  of  D.  W. 
Bond,  Esq.,  then  entered  Columbia  College  Law  School. 
Completing  a  partial  course,  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  June, 
1873.      Opened  an  office  in  Holyoke,  Jan.  1st,  1874. 

EDWARD  B.   OTHEMAN. 

Born  in  Boston,  1833.  W.  U.  1854.  Studied  at  Andover 
Theological  Seminary  1859.  At  Florence  (Northampton) 
1877-78,  minister  of  the   Methodist  Church. 

HARRY  P.   OTIS. 

Native  of  Manchester,  Ct.,  son  of  Col.  John  L.,  who 
moved  to  Northamj^ton  in  1864.  M.  A.  C.  1875.  A  me- 
chanical  engineer  in  the  Emery  Wheel   Co.'s  shop  at   Leeds. 

L.  B.   PARKHURST. 

Native  place,  Milford,  Mass.  Son  of  Ithiel  Parkhurst. 
Grad.  at  Boston  University  School  of  Medicine,  1877.     Settled 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  335 

at   NorthamiDton,    1879,  as    successor    to   the   late   Dr.  E.  B. 
Harding. 

JOSEPH  PARSONS. 

N.  N.,  born  1671,  son  of  Joseph  P.  and  Elizabeth,  daugh- 
ter of  Elder  John  Strong.  H.  C.  1697.  Pastor  Lebanon, 
Ct.,  1700-8.  Afterwards  at  Salisbury,  1718-40,  where  he 
died,  1740,  aged  sixty-nine.  His  three  sons,  Joseph,  Samuel 
and  William,  all  became  ministers. 

DAVID  PARSONS. 

N.  N.,  born  1685,  brother  of  the  preceding.  H.  C.  1705. 
Pastor  at  Maiden,  1709-21.  At  Leicester,  September,  1721- 
35.      He  died  1737,  at  Leicester. 

DAVID  PARSONS,   Jr. 

Son  of  the  foregoing,  born  March,  1712,  at  Maiden.  H. 
C.  1729.  Entered  the  ministry  and  sujoplied  for  a  year  or 
two,  1737-38,  the  second  precinct  or  parish  of  Northampton, 
afterward  Southampton.  He  was  the  first  minister  of  Am- 
herst, 1739-81. 

ELIJAH  PARSONS. 

N.  N.,  born  1779,  son  of  Isaac  and  Lucia  Strong  P.  Y. 
C.  1768.  In  February,  1772,  he  received  a  call  to  settle  at 
Williamsburg,  which  he  declined.  A  few  months  later  he 
settled  at  East  Had  dam,  Ct.,  where  he  continued  fifty-five 
years,  till  1827.  Having  no  children,  he  left  a  tract  of  land 
in  Kootstown,  0.,  to  two  nephews  of  Northampton. 

LEVI  PARSONS. 

N.  N.,  born  1779,  son  of  Israel  and  grandson  of  Jacob. 
W.  0.  1801.  Officiated  there  as  tutor  two  years.  Studied 
theology  with  Dr.  Hyde  of  Lee.  Ordained  at  Marcellus, 
N.  Y.  Pastorate  there  with  the  exception  of  two  years, 
1807-38.      He    died    1864,   aged    eighty-five.      His    son.    Dr. 


336  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Parsons,  has  long  been  a  physician  at  Marcellus.  Another 
son,  Kev.  Levi  Parsons,  D.  D.,  settled  in  the  ministry  at 
Mt.  Morris,  N.  Y.      His  pastorate  there  still  continues. 

JOHN  RUSSELL  PARSONS. 

N.  N".,  son  of  Col.  Edward  Parsons,  born  1838,  drowned 
at  Jackson,  Miss.,  March  3d,  1869.  Y.  C.  1860.  In  the 
fall  of  1861,  made  second  lieutenant  in  31st  Mass.  Volunteers, 
and  sent  to  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  Transferred  to 
the  1st  Loyal  Regiment  of  Louisiana  Volunteers  as  captain. 
Promoted  to  the  rank  of  major,  and  served  to  the  close 
of  the  war.  Remained  at  the  South  partly  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a 
member  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  Hinds  county. 
On  the  3d  of  March,  1869,  a  friend  with  whom  he  passed 
the  evening,  separated  from  him  at  a  short  distance  from 
his  residence.  It  was  not  till  a  week  later  that  his  body 
was  found  in   the   river  near  by. 

JOSEPH  C.   PARSONS. 

N.  N.,  son  of  the  late  Lewis  Parsons.  Grad.  March,  1882, 
at  the   College   of   Pharmacy,   New   York   city. 

GUSTAVUS   D.   PECK. 

Born  at  Blackstone,  Mass.,  1788.  Took  his  medical  degree 
at  Boston,  1812.  Resided  at  Milford  from  1811  till  1836. 
Settled  in  Sunderland  ten  years,  1836-46.  Practiced  at 
Northampton,  1846-70.  Died  at  Newfield,  N.  J.  1875,  aged 
eighty-seven  years   and   nine   months. 

JOSEPH  PENNY. 

Born  in  Ireland,  1790.  Grad.  at  Dublin  College.  Came 
to    United    States    in    1819.     Pastor    at   Rochester,    N.    Y., 


NOETHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  337 

1822-33.  Pastor  of  First  Cliurcli,  Northampton,  1833-35. 
President  of  Hamilton  C'Ollege,  1835-39.  Eeceivecl  D.  D. 
from  Union  College  1831.  Died  at  Eochester,  1860,  aged 
seventy. 

SOLOMON  PHELPS. 

N.  N.,  born  Nov.  5th,  1740,  son  of  Charles,  born  1717, 
grandson  of  Nathanael.  H.  C.  1762.  Studied  law.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution  he  served  as 
a  member  of  the  committee  of  safety  for  Cumberland  county. 
New  Hampshire.  Being  well  versed  in  the  Scriptures  and 
a  ready  speaker,  he  served  as  a  preacher  at  Marlboro,  Vt., 
during  the  summer  of  1776.  Obtained  his  degree  of  A.  M. 
in  1779. 

MARTIN  PHELPS. 

N.  N.,  born  Jan.  23d,  1757,  son  of  Martin  and  Martha  P. 
Y.  C.  177G.  Settled  in  Chester,  Mass.,  where  he  died  1838, 
aged  eighty- two.  Stood  high  in  the  community  and  among 
physicians,  a  man  of  untiring  zeal,  acted  as  town  clerk,  and 
represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature.  Sheriff  Samuel 
Phelps  of  Ware  was  his  son,  also  Martin  Phelps,  Jr.,  sheriff 
of   Chester. 

MOSES  STUART  PHELPS. 

Born  at  Andover,  March  16th,  1849,  son  of  Rev.  Austin 
Phelps,  D.  D.  Y.  C.  1869.  Graduated  at  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary  1872.  Tutor  at  Yale  1873-76.  Studied  in 
Europe  1876-77.  Professor  at  Smith  College,  Northamjiton, 
since  1878. 

H.   L.   PHELPS. 

From  Southampton,  son  of  Dea.  David  B.  Phelps.  Mass. 
Agr.    C.    1874.      Has   been  a  farmer,   afterwards   a   dealer  in 

fertilizers  in  N. 


338  ANTIQUITIES     AND    HISTORICALS. 

ALEXANDER  PHOENIX. 

Originated  near   Madison,    N.    J.,  1778.      C.    C,    N.    Y., 

1795.      Married    and    resided    for    a  time    in    ISTortliampton. 

Settled  in  the  ministry  at  Cliicopee.  Died  at  Harlem,  N.  Y., 
1863,  aged  eighty-five. 

DANIEL  PICKARD. 

Born  in  Concord,  N.  H.      Eeceived  his  diploma  from    the 

Medical  Department  of  Dartmouth  College,  1876.  Practiced 

medicine  for    a   few    months   at    Epping,    N.     H.  Assistant 
physician  at  the  Northampton  Lunatic  Hospital. 

FRANKLIN   PIERCE. 

Born  in  Hillsborough,  N.  H.,  Nov.  23d,  1804.  B.  C. 
1824.  In  1826,  was  a  student  of  Judge  Howes'  Law  School 
of  Northampton.  Commenced  practice  of  law  in  Hills- 
borough. In  1833,  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress.  In 
1837,  took  his  seat  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  On 
March  4th,  1853,  was  inaugurated  President  of  the  United 
States.      He  died  in  1869,  aged  sixty-five,  at  Concord,  N.  H. 

BENJAMIN   PEIRCE. 

H.  C.  1829.  Taught  about  1830,  in  Coggswell  &  Ban- 
croft's School  on  Round  Hill.  Tutor  at  Harvard  College, 
1831-33.  Professor  at  the  same,  1833-80.  Received  various 
honors  from  literary  institutions  abroad  and  in  this  country. 
Died  6th  Oct.,  1880.  Mrs.  Peirce  was  daughter  of  Hon.  E. 
H.  Mills  of  N.  James  Mills  P.,  son  of  Benjamin,  has 
been  professor   at   Harvard   since   1861. 

MARTIN   S.    PIXLEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1853,  son  of  Hervey  A.  P.  Grad.  at  North- 
western Univ.,  Evanston  111.,  in  Scientific  Department,  1876. 
Engaged   in   the   milk  business   in   New   York  city. 


KORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  339 

ALFRED  PLANT. 

Son  of  Samuel  P.  Y.  C.  1847.  Engaged  in  the  seed 
and  agricultural  implement  business  at  St.  Louis.  His  father 
died  in  Northampton  1847,  aged  sixty-nine. 

SAMUEL   POMEROY. 

N.  N.,  born  1687,  son  of  Dea.  Medad  Pomeroy.  Y.  C. 
1705.  Pastor  at  Newtown,  L.  I.,  1709-44.  He  died  sud- 
denly in  the   midst   of  his   ministry,    aged   fifty-nine. 

SETH  POMEROY. 

N.  N.,  born  1733,  the  first  of  the  five  sons  of  Col.  Seth. 
Y.  C.  1753.  A  tutor  at  Yale  1756-57.  Studied  for  the 
ministry.  Settled  at  Greenfield  Hill,  Ct.  Deceased  there 
1770,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven.  His  son,  Jonathan  Law 
Pomeroy,  minister  of  Worthington,  Mass.,  died  at  West 
Springfield,  1836,  aged  about  sixty-seven. 

MEDAD  POMEROY. 

K  N.,  born  1736,  son  of  Col.  Seth.  Y.  C.  1757.  Studied 
medicine  and  settled  in  Warwick,  Mass.,  lived  there  more 
than  half  a  century.      He  died  1819,  aged  eighty-three. 

THADDEUS  POMEROY. 

N.  N.,  born  1764,  son  of  Quartus,  nephew  of  Dr.  Medad. 
H.  C.  1786.  Studied  medicine,  but  became  a  druggist  in 
Albany,  where  he  acquired  reputation  and  j)roperty.  In  1806 
removed  to  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  devoting  his  time  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  his  farm,  and  the  well-being  of  society.  He 
married  Fanny,  daughter  of  Judge  Sedgewick  of  Stockbridge. 
For  twelve  years  a  trustee  of  Williams  College.  He  died 
1847,  aged   eighty-two. 


340  AKTIQUItlES    AKD    HISTORICALS. 

WILLIAM  O.   PRATT. 

The  family  moved  to  Northampton  from  Springfield.  A. 
C.  1877.  Principal  of  Blackstone  High  School.  In  1881, 
became  principal  of  High  School  at  Warren  and  superintend- 
ent of  schools. 

HENRY  CONANT  PRENTISS. 

N.  N.,  son  of  William  C.  P.  H.  C.  1854.  Grad.  at 
Pittsfield  Medical  College  1857.  An  assistant  physician  in 
the  Worcester  Insane  Asylum.  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  State 
Charities  in  Boston. 

WILLIAM  H.   PRINCE. 

Native  of  Salem,  born  November,  1817.  II.  C.  1838. 
Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School  1841.  Appointed  superin- 
tendent and  physician  of  Northampton  Lunatic  Hospital. 
Eesided.  at  Clifton  Springs,  N.  Y.,  1870-78.  Present  resi- 
dence, Newton,  Mass. 

O.   O.   ROBERTS. 

Born  in  Lyndon,  Vt.,  son  of  Charles  R.  Grad.  at  Penn. 
Homeopathic  Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  1853.  Com- 
menced practice  same  year  at  Milford,  N.  H.  Settled  in 
Northampton,  June  1st,  1857. 

EBENEZER  P.  ROGERS. 

Born  in  New  York.  Y.  C.  1837.  Studied  at  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary.  Ordained  at  Chicopee  Falls  1840. 
Edwards  Church,  Northampton,  May  17th,  1843.  First 
Church,  Augusta,  Ga.,  1847.  Seventh  Church,  Philadelphia, 
1853.  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  Albany,  1856.  South  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church,  N.  Y.  City,  1862.  Author  of  Notes 
on  the  International  Sabbath  School  Lessons.  Deceased  in 
New  York,  universally  esteemed,  in  1881. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  341 

JESSE  ROOT. 

N.  JN.,  born  1736,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  Strong  K. 
P.  C.  1756.  Studied  law,  admitted  to  practice  in  1763,  and 
settled  in  Hartford,  Ct.  Member  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, 1778-83.  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  1789 ;  Chief 
Justice  of  Conn.,  1796-1807.  Haying  been  colonel  in  the 
Eevolutionary  War  and  adjutant  general,  he  was  sometimes 
called  Colonel.  He  was  an  eminent  Christian,  a  pillar 
in  the  church.  Even  to  the  last  he  attended  the  prayer 
meeting.     He  died  1822,  aged   eighty-five. 

WILLIAM  H.   SAMPSON. 

Son  of  E.  N.  S.,  formerly  resident  of  Northampton.  Grad. 
May  12th,  1880,  at  Columbia  College  Law  Department,  N.  Y. 
City.      Practicing  at  St.  Louis. 

JOHN  SEARLE. 

N.  N.,  born  1723,  nephew  of  Nathaniel  S.  Y.  C.  1745. 
Studied  theology  with  the  celebrated  Mr.  Edwards.  Settled 
first  at  Sharon,  Ct.  Afterward  at  Stoneham,  Mass.,  1758-76. 
Assisted  in  preparing  some  of  Edwards'  writings  for  publica- 
tion at  Boston.      He  died  1787,  aged  sixty-four. 

CHARLES  LEWIS  SEEGER. 

Born  in  Germany,  April  10th,  1763.      University  of  Stutt- 

gard   1786.      Studied    medicine,    came    to    this    country  and 

settled   in    Charleston,  S.  C.      Came,  1797,  to   Northampton, 

and  purchased   at   South    Farms.      Owned   and  occupied   the 

^^Old  Long  House,"   built   about    1744.      Sold   in  1803,   and 

went  to  Sudbury,  Mass.,  but   returned   to    Northampton   and 

lived  on  King   street.      Was  a  physician   of  note.      He   died 

March    31,    1848,    aged    eighty-five.      The    venerable    cedar, 

styled   Dr.    Seeger's    tree,  at   Smith's  Ferry,  where,  under  its 
40 


342  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

branches,  he  often  sat,  to  enjoy  the  fine  landscape,  has  re- 
cently been  blown  down.  Hundreds  have  visited  this  spot, 
and  thought  of  its  former  proprietor,  and  been  delighted 
with  the  scenery. 

EDWIN  SEEGER. 

N.  N.,  born  1811,  son  of  the  foregoing.  Grad.  1832,  at 
Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia.  Settled  the  same 
year  in  Springfield,  where  he  lived  and  died  Sept.  26th, 
1866,  aged  fifty-five. 

LAURENUS  CLARK  SEELYE. 

Born  at  Bethel,  Ct.,  1837,  son  of  Seth  Seelye.  U.  C. 
1857.  Studied  theology  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary, 
also  abroad,  at  Berlin,  and  Heidelburg,  Germany.  Ordained 
1863,  pastor  of  North  Church,  Springfield,  1863-65.  Profes- 
sor English  Literature,  Amherst  College,  1865-73.  Chosen 
President  of   Smith  College,  Northampton,  1873. 

SAMUEL  SEWARD. 

Y.  C.  1762.  But  little  known  of  this  graduate.  A 
Seward  family,  to  which  he  probably  belonged,  lived  in 
Northampton  for  some  years.      He   died   1776. 

CHRISTOPHER   SEYMOUR. 

Grad.  at  University  of  Michigan,  Medical  Department, 
1869.  Practiced  at  Hinsdale,  Mass.,  for  four  years.  Kesided 
in  Northampton  ever  since. 

J.   T.   SHEEHAN. 

Born  in  Ireland.  Grad.  at  Limerick  College,  1869.  Pro- 
fessor of  Languages  in  University  of  Dublin,  1874.  One  of 
of  the  ministers  of  St.  Mary's  Church  (Roman  Catholic), 
Northampton. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  343 

DAVID  SYLVESTER  SHELDON. 

M.  C.  1831.  Principal  of  Northampton  High  School. 
Professor  in  Griswold  College,  Davenport,  Iowa.  Several  of 
his  Northampton  pupils  adorn  some  of  the  professions. 

BENJAMIN  SHELDON. 

N.  N.,  born  March  8th,  1804,  son  of  William.  His 
father,  in  1808,  moved  to  Clinton,  N.  Y.  Entered  Hamil- 
ton College,  but  feeble  health  obliged  him  to  leave.  En- 
tered the  office  of  Hunt  &  Barrett,  as  medical  student,  at 
Northampton.  Grad.  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Phila- 
delphia, 1829.  Practiced  at  Hatfield,  from  May,  1829,  until 
November,  1836.  Then  removed  to  Cleveland,  called  at  that 
time  Ohio  City.  A  member  of  City  Council,  1838-49 
Elected  Mayor,  1850-53.  His  address,  206  Franklin  Avenue, 
Cleveland,  0. 

GEORGE  SHELDON. 

N.  N.,  born  1813,  son  of  Isaac.  W.  C.  1835,  having  an 
honorary  appointment.  Ordained  June  13th,  1841.  Ke- 
ceived  D.  D.  from  Jefferson  College,  Pa.,  1862.  The  four 
names  which  follow  are  his  sons.  For  fuller  particulars  see 
Northampton  Ladies  who  Married  Ministers,  number  forty- 
nine  ;    also  Sheldon  Homestead. 

GEORGE  WILLIAM  SHELDON. 

A  native  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  P.  C.  1863.  Grad.  at 
Theological  Seminary,  Princeton,  N.  J.,  1866.  Tutor  at 
Princeton  College,  1865-67.  Teacher  of  Hebrew  in  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  N.  Y.  City.  One  of  the  editors  of 
the  N.  Y.  Evening  Post. 

HENRY  ISAAC  SHELDON. 

Born  at  Charleston,  S.  C.     P.  C.  1864.     Studied  at  Albany 


344  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Law  School,  and  entered    the   legal    profession,    1866.      Lives 
in  Chicago  ;    connected  with  the  Bar  of  that  city. 

THEODORE  SHELDON. 

A  native  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.  P.  C.  1875.  Studied  at 
Columbia  College  Law  School,  and  now  a  partner  of  his 
brother,  Henry  Isaac,  at  Chicago. 

EDWARD  WRIGHT  SHELDON. 

Of  Pluinfield,  N.  J.  P.  C.  1879.  Grad.  at  Columbia 
College  Law  School,  and  admitted  to  the  New  York  Bar  in 
June,  1881,  and  now  practicing  in  that  city  at  49  Wall  street. 

CHARLES  SHEPHERD. 

N.  N.,  born  1780,  son  of  Dr.  Levi.  Y.  C.  1798.  Went 
into  business  with  his  father  and  two  brothers,  the  firm  being 
Levi  Shepherd  &  Sons.  The  factory  stood  on  Pleasant 
street.      He  died  in  1821,  aged  forty-one. 

WILLIAM  SILSBEE. 

Born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  1813,  son  of  William  S.  H.  C. 
1832.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Divinity  School,  1834.  Came  to 
Northampton,  1855.  Successor  of  Rev.  Rufus  Ellis,  D.  D. 
Pastor  of  the  **  Reformed  Christian  Church  "  at  Trenton,  N.  Y. 

JOSEPH  LYMAN  SILSBEE. 

Native  of  Salem,  born  1848,  son  of  the  foregoing.  H.  C. 
1869.  Spent  two  years  in  an  architect's  office  in  Boston, 
then  in  Europe  over  a  year.  On  his  return,  in  same  busi- 
ness.     Settled  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

JONATHAN  SLOAN. 

Originated  in  Pelham.  W.  C.  1812.  Taught  the  North- 
ampton Grammar  School,  1813.      Studied    law    in    the    office 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  345 

of  Jonathan  H.  Lyman,  Esq.  Settled  at  Eavenna,  0.  A 
sound  lawyer,  a  very  brilliant  advocate,  twice  elected  to  Con- 
gress.     He  died  in  1854,  aged  sixty-nine. 

HORACE  SMITH. 

A  native  of  Amherst,  son  of  Asa  S.  W.  C.  1816. 
Studied  law  with  Hon.  E.  H.  Mills,  and  afterward  entered 
into  partnership  with  him,  which  continued  till  1821  or  1822. 

CHARLES  FULLER  SMITH. 

Of  Hartford,  Ct.  A.  C.  1838.  Studied  with  Hon.  Chas. 
E.  Forbes,  and  afterward  became  associated  with  him  in  legal 
practice.  He  went  to  California,  where  he  died  in  1863, 
aged  forty-five. 

HENRY  G.   SMITH. 

Born  in  New  York  City,  Jan.  8th,  1860,  son  of  H.  B. 
Smith,  D.  D.,  late  professor  of  theology  in  Union  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  N.  Y.  A.  C.  1881.  A  member  of  Union 
Theological  Seminary. 

SAMUEL  THOMPSON  SPAULDING. 
From  Jamaica,  Vt.,  where  his  father,  a  Congregational 
minister,  was  settled.  Born  1819.  A.  C.  1839.  Studied 
law  partly  in  Springfield  and  partly  in  Amherst,  Avith  Hon. 
Osmyn  Baker.  Practiced  at  Palmer ;  afterwards  at  Ware 
Village.  Settled  in  Northampton,  1856,  partner  with  Judge 
Forbes.  For  nine  years  District  Attorney  for  the  counties 
of  Hampshire  and  Franklin.  In  1872,  appointed  Judge  of 
Probate  for  Hampshire  County.  A  firm  believer  in  the  car- 
dinal doctrines  of  Christianity. 

JAMES  FIELD  SPAULDING. 

Born  at  Enfield,  Ct.,  1839.  W.  C.  1862.  Associate  prin- 
cipal for  several  years  of  Eound  Hill  School.  Admitted  to 
orders  in  the  Episcopal  Church. 


346  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

TIMOTHY  G.  SPAULDING. 

Son  of  Judge  Samuel.  A.  C.  1872.  Studied  in  liis 
father's  office,  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1877.  The  same 
year  chosen  Eepresentative  to  the  Legislature.  A  lawyer  in 
Northampton.  One  of  the  executors  of  the  Will  of  Hon. 
Charles  E.  Forbes. 

ICHABOD  S.   SPENCER. 

Born  1798,  at  Eupert,  Vt.  U.  C.  1822.  The  seventh 
ordained  minister  of  the  First  Church,  Northampton,  1828- 
32.  During  his  pastorate  here,  two  hundred  united  with 
the  church  by  profession.  Thousands  have  read  and  admired 
his  "  Pastors'  Sketches,"  destined  to  live  when  many  other 
books  will  be  forgotten. 

FREDERICK  MERRICK  STARKWEATHER 

N.  N.,  born  1821,  son  of  Kingsley  S.  A.  C.  1841.  Grad. 
also  at  Union  Theological  Seminary,  1845.  Taught  in  the 
school  of  Mr.  Ashur  Clark  in  Baltimore.  Preached  as  sup- 
ply in  several  places.  His  health  failed,  he  went  into  a 
decline,  and  died  in  1851,  aged  thirty. 

OLIVER  STEARNS. 

H.  C.  1826.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Divinity  School,  1830. 
Second  minister  of  Unitarian  Church,  Northampton.  Presi- 
dent of   Meadville  Theological  Seminary. 

DANIEL  STEBBINS. 

Of  Springfield,  born  1766,  son  of  Joseph  S.  Y.  C.  1788. 
Educated  a  physician,  and  practiced  in  South  Hadley.  Came 
to  Northampton  in  1806.  County  Treasurer  for  thirty-five 
years.  A  citizen  here  for  fifty  years.  He  died  in  1856,  aged 
ninety  years  and  six  months. 


KORTHAMPTOI^    GRADUATES.  347 

SOLOMON  STODDARD. 

Born  1643,  in  Boston,  son  of  Anthony.  H.  C.  1662. 
Successor  to  Rev.  Eleazar  Mather,  at  Northampton,  1672- 
1729.  A  man  of  learning,  published  extensively.  Described 
as  a  plain,  experimental,  argumentative,  successful  preacher. 
Five  harvests  crowned  his  labors.  He  died  in  1729,  aged 
eighty-five. 

ANTHONY  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1678,  son  of  the  foregoing.  H.  C.  1697. 
Ordained  at  Woodbury,  Ct.,  May  27th,  1702,  and  died  Sept. 
6th,  1760,  aged  eighty-two.  Received  almost  five  hundred  to 
the  church  during  his  ministry  of  nearly  sixty  years.  Was 
Clerk  of  Probate  forty  years.  Acted  as  lawyer  and  physi- 
cian, and  managed  one  of  the  largest  farms  in  the  town  ; 
also  reared  a  familv  of  eleven  children. 

JOHN  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1681,  son  of  Rev.  Solomon.  H.  C.  1701. 
A  Counsellor  of  Massachusetts,  a  very  eminent  civilian,  stood 
in  the  front  rank  of  the  most  illustrious  statesmen  of  his 
times.  Throughout  the  Commonwealth  his  name  commanded 
respect.  A  steadfast  friend  of  Mr.  Edwards,  whose  sermon 
at  Col.  Stoddard's  death,  1748,  entitled  '^A  Strong  Rod 
Broken,"  was  published.  He  died  at  Boston,  1748,  aged 
sixty-seven. 

SOLOMON  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1736,  son  of  Col.  John.  Y.  C.  1756.  A 
lawyer  in  his  native  town.  High  Sheriff  of  Hampshire 
County.  Retained  the  antique  dress,  the  three  cornered  hat, 
the  large  wig,  the  long  stockings,  the  prominent  shoe 
buckles.      He  died  in  1827,  aged  ninety-one. 


348  ANTIQUITIES    AKD    HISTOHICALS. 

ISRAEL  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1741,  another  son  of  Col.  John.  Y.  0.  1758. 
Settled  in  Pittsfield  between  1762-64.  Major  in  a  Berkshire 
regiment.      Inherited  from  his  father  a  large  landed  property 

in  Pittsfield.  Two  of  Col.  John's  sons  were  High  Sheriffs, 
viz.  :  Solomon  in  Hampshire  County,  and  Israel  in  Berk- 
shire.     He  died  in  1782,  aged  forty-one. 

JOHN  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1767,  grandson  of  the  civilian,  and  son  of 
Solomon  the  High  Sheriff.  Y.  C.  1787,  Lived  in  Albany, 
and  died  in  1853,  aged  eighty-six. 

SOLOMON  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1771,  second  son  of  the  High  Sheriff.  Y.  C. 
1790.  Studied  law  and  practiced  at  Williamstown,  after- 
wards at  Northampton.  Was  Town  Clerk  and  Clerk  of  the 
Courts.      He  died  in  1860,  age  nearly  ninety. 

SOLOMON   STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1800,  son  of  the  preceding.  Y.  C.  1820. 
Tutor  at  Yale,  1822-26.  In  1836,  united  with  Prof.  An- 
drews, in  preparing  a  Latin  Grammar.  Over  sixty  editions 
published.  Prof,  at  Middlebury  College,  1838-47.  He  died 
in  1847,  aged  forty-seven. 

DAVID  TAPPAN  STODDARD. 
N.  N.,  born  Dec.  2d,  1818,  son  of  Solomon  Stoddard,  Esq. 
Y.  C.  1838.  Tutor  at  Yale,  1840-42.  Grad.  at  Yale  Di- 
vinity School,  1842.  Ordained  at  New  Haven,  Jan.  27th, 
1843.  Departure  for  Persia  March  1st,  1843.  Arrived  at 
Oroomiah  in  June,  1843.  His  first  wife  died  at  Trebizond, 
of  cholera,  1848.  Visits  and  labors  in  the  United  States, 
1848-51.      He  died  at  Oroomiah  Jan.  22d,  1857,  aged  thirty- 


KORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  349 

nine.  A  monument  to  his  memory  stands  in  the  family 
plot  in  the  Northampton  cemetery.  Author  of  a  Grammar 
of  the  Modern  Syriac  Language,  and  of  various  educational 
and  religious  works  in  Syriac. 

HENRY  BRADISH   STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1840,  son  of  Dea.  William  H.  S.  W.  C.  1862. 
Grad.  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  N.  Y., 
1865.  Formed  a  copartnership  with  Dr.  James  Dunlap, 
1868-78.      Kesidence,  Newtonville,  near  Boston. 

FRANCIS  HOVEY  STODDARD. 
N.    N.,    born    1847,    son    of    Prof.  Solomon.      A.  C.  1869. 
Taught  two  years  in  Harrington's  School  for   boys,    in  West- 
chester County,  N.  Y.      A  manufacturer  at  Northampton. 

JOHN  TAPPAN  STODDARD. 

N.  N.,  born  1852,  son  of  Dea.  W^illiam  H.  S.  A.  C. 
1874.  Assistant  one  year  in  the  Northampton  High  school. 
At  the  end  of  June,  1876,  sailed  for  Europe.  Studied  at 
Uniyersity  of  Gottingen.  Keceived,  November,  1877,  the 
degree  of  Ph.  D.,  Doctor  of  Philosophy.  Returned  toll.  S. 
in  May,  1878.  In  June  of  that  year  was  chosen  Professor  of 
Physics  in  Smith  College,  Northampton. 

WILLIAM  P.   STRICKLAND. 

Born  in  1835,  in  Monterey,  Berkshire  County,  son  of  Lem- 
uel K.  S.,  a  lawver  of  Sandisfield.  W.  C.  1858.  Studied 
law  with  Hon.  Marshall  Wilcox  of  Lee.  Admitted  to  Berk- 
shire Bar,  1861.  Eesidence  in  Ware  1861  to  December,  1864. 
Clerk  of  the  Courts  in  Northampton  since  1864. 

ISAAC   STONE. 

A  New  Yorker,  born  1822,  the  youngest  of  twelve  children. 

His  father  was  an  officer  in  the   war   of   1812.      0.    C.    1852. 
41 


350  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 

Eeceived  the  valedictory.  During  President  Lincoln's  first  term, 
he  received  the  appointment  of  U.  S.  Consul  to  Singapore,  held 
the  same  about  five  years.  In  January,  1872,  by  request, 
assumed  the  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Northampton 
Cutlery  Company.  In  May,  following,  failing  health  com- 
pelled him  to  resign  this  situation.  At  present,  he  spends 
his  winters  in  Florida,  and  his  summers  in  Northampton. 

JULIA  A.   BUELL  STONE. 

Wife  of  the  preceding,  a  native  of  N.  Y.  City,  born  1823, 
daughter  of  Daniel  Buell.  0.  C.  1851.  Her  attainments  in 
history, — ancient,  modern  and  ecclesiastical,  while  at  Oberlin, 
became  valuable  in  preparing  that  work,  "India;  Its  Princes 
and  People."  "A  complete  exposition  of  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  wonderful  countries  and  people  in  the  world." 

THOMAS  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1715,  son  of  the  first    Jonathan    Strong.      Y. 

C.  1740.      Ordained  first   pastor    of   New   Marlborough,    Oct. 

31st,    1744.      Continued    until    Aug.    23d,    1777.      His    son, 

Thomas  Barnard  S.,    a  graduate    of    Yale   in    1800,    lived  in 

Pittsfield.      His  will,  quite  a  curiosity,    may    be    seen   in    the 

Strong  genealogy. 

JOB  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1721,  son  of  Nathaniel,  Y.  C.  1747.  He 
labored  for  a  short  time  as  a  missionary  in  company  with 
David  Brainerd,  among  the  Indians  in  New  Jersey.  Settled 
at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  1749.  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards  of 
Northampton  preached  the  ordination  sermon.  He  died  in 
1751,  aged  twenty-seven. 

NEHEMIAH  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  Born  1730,  son  of  Samuel  and  Esther  Clapp  S.  Y. 
C.  1755.      Tutor  at  Yale,  1757-60.      Settled  at  Granby,    Ct., 


NOKTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  351 

1761-68.  Prof,  of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy  at 
Yale,  1770-81.  He  died  at  Bridgeport,  Ct.,  1807,  aged 
seventy-seven. 

SIMEON  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1736,  son  of  Nehemiah  and  Hannah  French 
S.  This  family  moved  to  Amherst.  Y.  C.  1756.  Studied 
law  and  became  eminent  in  his  profession.  Was  Justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Massachusetts,  1800-05.  Several  of 
his  children  and  grandchildren  were  graduates. 

CALEB  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1745.  His  parents  were  Lt.  Caleb  and  Phebe 
Lyman  S.  H.  C.  1764.  At  his  graduation,  received  the 
highest  honors.  Studied  with  Major  Hawley.  County  At- 
torney for  twenty-four  years.  A  member  of  the  Legislature 
in  the  House  and  Senate  some  fourteen  years,  1776-89. 
Assisted  in  forming  the  Constitution  of  Massachusetts  in 
1779,  and  of  the  United  States  in  1787.  United  States  Sen- 
ator, 1788-1800.  Over  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts 
as  Governor  eleven  years.  Left  an  honored,  historic  name, 
a  pillar  in  the  church  and  state.  Died  suddenly  Nov.  7th, 
1819,  aged  seventy-four. 

THEODORE  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  Jan.  13th,  1779,  son  of  Gov.  Caleb.  Y.  C. 
1797.  Studied  law  but  did  not  enter  the  profession.  Owned 
a  farm  of  three  hundred  acres  in  Plainfield,  Mass.  Went 
largely  into  the  business  of  raising  sheep.  What  is  now 
styled  Bond  hill  in  that  town,  went  formerly  by  the  name 
of  Strong  hill.  He  died,  1855,  at  Coal  Grove,  0.,  aged 
seventy-six. 

LEWIS  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1785,  son  of  the  Governor.  H.  C.  1803. 
Studied   law    with    his    uncle,  Judge    Hooker,  of  Springfield. 


352  ANTIQUITIES    Ai^D    HISTORICALS. 

Practiced  some  thirty  years  in  his  native  town.  Chief  Jus- 
tice Parsons  said  of  him,  **  He  is  the  strongest  lawyer  in  all 
the  western  counties  of  Massachusetts."  Hon.  Isaac  0. 
Bates  once  remarked,  *^that  he  wished  he  had  Mr.  Strong's 
head  on  his  shoulders."  **An  upright,  accomplished  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  lawyer,  citizen,  neighbor  and  friend."  A 
trustee  of  Amherst  College,  1825-33.  He  died  1863,  aged 
seventy-eight. 

EDWARD  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1790,  third  son  of  the  Governor.  Between 
nineteen  and  twenty  when  he  graduated.  H.  0.  1810. 
Studied  law  in  the  office  of  Ashmun  &  Strong,  but  obliged 
to  discontinue  study  by  the  approach  of  that  insidious  disease, 
consumption.     He  died  1813,  aged  twenty-three. 

EDWARD  STRONG. 

N.  K,  born  1814.  Son  of  Hon.  Lewis.  W.  C.  1834. 
Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School,  1838.  Lived  at  West 
Springfield,  and  South  Hadley  about  ten  years.  Since  1854 
has  been  employed  at  Boston,  in  the  office  of  Secretary  of 
State.      Eesidence,  Auburndale. 

CALEB  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1816,  son  of  Hon.  Lewis.  Y.  C.  1835. 
Grad.  at  Theological  Department  Yale  College,  1838.  Pas- 
tor of  American  Presbyterian  Church,  Montreal,  October, 
1839,  to  January,  1847.  He  died  1847,  aged  thirty-one.  A 
man  of  great  purity  of  purpose. 

FRANKLIN  CLARK  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1817,  son  of  Jason  and  Miriam  Clark  S. 
While  a  member  of  Williams  College,  Junior  year,  in  the 
class  of  1842,  died  June  1st,  1841,  at  his  father's,  aged 
twenty-four. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  353 

LEWIS  MITCHELL  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1822,  son  of  Hon.  Lewis.  W.  C.  1843.  He 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  at  New  York,  where  he  died, 
1850,  aged  twenty-eight. 

STEPHEN  CHESTER  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1824,  another  son  of  Hon.  Lewis.  W.  C.  1845. 
Grad.  at  Union  Theological  Seminary,  N.  Y.  City,  1848. 
Taught  at  Flushing  Institute,  previous  to  the  spring  of  1851. 
Pastorate  at  Southampton,  1854-59  ;  at  Gorham,  Me.,  1860- 
67.  Retired  from  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  consequence 
of  impaired  health.      Resides  at  South  Natick. 

THEODORE  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1826,  the  fifth  and  youngest  son  of  Hon. 
Lewis  S.  W.  0.  1848.  Mysterious  Providence,  he  died 
within  a  few  weeks  after  he  pronounced  the  salutatory  ora- 
tion on  Commencement  Day,  aged  22. 

GEORGE  HENRY  STRONG. 

N.  N.,  born  1839,  son  of  David  and  Electa  Patch  S.  D. 
C.  1859.  Since  graduating  has  lived  in  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
Connected  with  the  firm  of  Dewey  &  Co.,  publishers  of  the 
Scientific  Press.      Also  Patent  solicitors. 

ELIPHALET  Y.   SWIFT. 

Born  at  Fairfax,  Vt.,  1815.  M.  C.  1839.  Andover  The- 
ological Seminary  1842.  Pastorate  at  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
1844-45.  At  Northampton,  First  Church,  1845-51.  South 
Hadley,  1852-57.  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  1858-62.  Williamsburg, 
1862-68.      Last  settlement,  Denmark,  Iowa,  1868. 

MAJOR  JOHN  TAYLOR. 

From  Northboro,  born  1762.  H.  C.  1786.  Came  imme- 
diately to  Northampton,  studied  law  with  Gov.  Caleb  Strong, 


354  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

who  subsequently  received  him  as  a  partner.  *^He  was  of  a 
commanding  personal  address,  of  rare  intellectual  endow- 
ments, and  few  men  commenced  life  with  more  flattering 
prospects.  For  a  short  time  clerk  of  the  courts,  and  for 
many  years  prominent  as  a  politician.  Distinguished  for  his 
sparkling  wit  which  caused  his  jokes  and  repartees  to  be 
quoted  by  hundreds  from  Berkshire  to  Cape  Cod."  For 
over  half  a  century  a  citizen  of  the  town.  Never  married. 
He  died  at  Chesterfield,  Dec.  26th,  1843,  aged  eighty-one. 

CALEB  J.   TENNY. 

A  native  of  Hollis,  N.  H.,  born  1780.  D.  C.  1801. 
Settled  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  1804-14.  At  Wethersfield,  Ct., 
1816-40.  Resigned  on  account  of  the  failure  of  his  voice. 
Removed  to  Northampton  in  1842.  Dr.  Sprague  styles  him 
"a  man  of  princely  intellect."  His  funeral,  September, 
1847,  was  attended  in  the  Edwards  Church  of  Northampton. 
A  remarkable  blessing  attended  his  ministry.  One  of  his 
daughters  married  Judge  William  Allen. 

GEOKGE  C.   TENNY. 

Born  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  son  of  the  preceding.  Y.  C. 
1829. 

WILLIAM  SIDNEY  THAYER. 

Son  of  Abijah  T.,  who  settled  in  Northampton  1841.  H. 
C.  1850.  A  private  tutor  at  Milton,  near  Boston,  till  1853, 
during  this  interval  studied  law.  In  1853  he  went  into  the 
office  of  the  N.  Y.  Evening  Post,  connected  with  that  paper 
until  appointed  Consul  General  at  Alexandria,  Egyi^t,  1861, 
where  he  died  in  1864. 

JAMES  BRADLEY  THAYER. 

Brother  of  the  foregoing.  H.  C.  1852.  Taught  at  Milton 
till  1854.      Grad.  at   Cambridge    Law   School   in   1856.      Ad- 


NOETHAMPTOK    GRADUATES.  355 

mitted  the  same  year  in  December  to  tlie  Boston  Bar,  where 
he  practiced  his  profession.  In  1874,  chosen  Royal  Profes- 
sor of  Law  in  Harvard  Law  School.  Prepared  the  yolume, 
"Letters  of   Chauncey  Wright." 

DANIEL  THOMPSON. 

A  native  of  Pelham,  son  of  James  T.  Studied  with  Dr. 
David  Hunt.  Grad.  at  Berkshire  Medical  College  1825. 
Practiced  twelve  years  at  Pelham.  Came  to  Northampton 
in  1837.  Distinguished  in  his  profession.  Received,  1839, 
an  honorary  M.  D.  from  Pittsfield  Medical  College. 

JAMES    THOMPSON. 

From  Pelham,  brother  of  the  preceding.  Studied  with 
Barrett  &  Thompson  of  Northampton.  Grad.  at  Berkshire 
Medical  College  in  1842.  Formed  partnership  with  Barrett 
&  Thompson,  as  Barrett,  Thompson  &  Co. ;  afterwards  as  D. 
&  J.  Thompson.      He  deceased  in  1859. 

AUSTIN  W.   THOMPSON. 

Son  of  Peleg  T.  of  Pelham,  brought  up  by  his  uncle,  Dr. 
Daniel  T.  H.  C.  1854.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Medical  School 
1857.  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Northampton  Lunatic 
Asylum.  After  his  resignation,  returned  to  general  practice, 
and  opened  a  private  asylum  for  nervous  diseases. 

JOHN  TODD. 

A  native  of  Connecticut,  born  about  1800.  Y.  C.  1822. 
Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1825.  Ordained 
1827.  Pastor  at  Groton,  Mass.,  1827-33.  Edwards  Church, 
Northampton,  the  first  pastor,  1833-36.  At  Philadelphia, 
1836-41.  Pittsfield,  1842-69.  Received  D.  D.  from  Williams 
College,  1845.      For  nearly  thirty  years  a  trustee  of  the  same 


356  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 

institution.  As  an  author  favorably  and  extensively  known. 
His  ministry  was  crowned  with  many  refreshing  seasons.  He 
died  1873,  aged  seventy- three. 

JOHN  EDWARDS   TODD. 

N.  N.,  born  December,  1833,  son  of  Eev.  Dr.  Todd. 
Probably  the  first  one  baptized  in  the  first  meeting  house  of 
the  Edwards  Church.  Y.  C.  1855.  Studied  theology  under 
Eev.  Mark  Hopkins,  D  D.,  President  of  Williams  College. 
Pastor  of  Central  Congregational  Church,  Boston,  1860-69. 
Pastor  of  Church  of  the  Eedeemer,  New  Haven,  since  Sept. 
15th,  1869.  Author  of  biography  of  his  father.  Also  Notes 
on  International  Sunday  School  Lessons. 

MARK  TUCKER. 

Of  Whitestown,  N.  Y.,  born  1795.  U.  C.  1814.  Pastor- 
ate at  Stillwater,  N.  Y.,  1817-24.  Northampton,  1824-27. 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  1827-37.  Providence,  E.  I.,  1837-45.  Weth- 
ersfield,  Ct.,  1845-56.  Vernon,  Ct.,  1857-63.  Died  at 
Wethersfield,  1875,  aged  eighty.  Williams  College  conferred 
on  him  the  degree  of  D.  D.  in  1831. 

WILLIAM  ELISHA  TURNER. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Elisha  T.  Y.  C.  1856.  Studied  three 
years  with  Baker  &  Delano,  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the 
summer  of  1859.  Practiced  law  in  partnership  with  Charles 
Delano,  Esq.,  until  his  decease,  Jan.  26th,  1868,  aged  thirty- 
three  years. 

WILLIAM  TYLER. 

Born  at  Attleboro,  Mass.,  1789,  son  of  Ebenezer.  B.  U. 
1809.  Commenced  preaching  in  1818,  settled  at  South  Wey- 
mouth thirteen  years,  at  South  Hadley  Falls  seven  years. 
Eemoved  to  Amherst  1839.  Eesidence  at  Northampton, 
1847-52,  proprietor  and  editor  of  the  Northampton  Courier 
for  two  years.      Died  at  Auburndale,  1875,  aged  eighty-six. 


THE  OLD  WARNER  HOUSE. 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  357 

HENRY  MATHER  TYLER. 

A  native  of  Amherst,  son  of  Prof.  Wm.  S.  Tyler,  A.  C. 
1865.  Studied  theology  mostly  under  private  instruction. 
Heard  some  theological  lectures  at  University  of  Halle  in 
Germany.  Professor  of  Latin  and  German  at  Knox  College, 
Galesburg,  DL,  18G9-72.  Pastorate  at  Fitchburg,  Dec.  4th, 
1872,  to  Jan.  1st,  1877.  Professor  at  Smith  College  since 
Jan.  1st,  1877.  Supplied  Edwards  Church  pulpit  some  two 
years  after  the  death  of  Rev.  Dr.  Hall. 

JOHN  BENNETT  TYLER. 

Son  of  Eev.  John  Ellery  Tyler,  grandson  of  Hon.  Eliph- 
alet  Williams.  A.  C.  18Go.  Grad.  at  Michigan  University 
Medical  Department,  1867,  and  at  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  N.  Y.  1868.  Spent  part  of  his  boyhood,  and  sev- 
eral years  as  a  physician  in  Northampton.  Residence,  New 
York  City. 

CHARLES  WALKER. 

Y.  C.  1824.  Eor  over  twenty-five  years  a  physician  and 
dentist  of  Northampton,  son-in-law  of  the  late  Mr.  Nathan 
Storrs.      He  died  1855,  aged  fifty-two. 

TIMOTHY  WALKER. 

From  Wilmington,  Mass.,  born  1802.  H.  0.  1826. 
Taught  mathematics  at  Coggswell  &  Bancroft's  School  on 
Round  Hill,  1826-29.  Settled  at  Cincinnati,  0.,  1830.  Es- 
tablished with  another,  in  1833,  the  Cincinnati  Law  School. 
Founded  and  edited  for  several  years  the  Western  Law 
Journal.      He  died  at  Cincinnati,  1856. 

L.   F.  WARD. 

Of  Wardsboro,   Vt.,  born   November,    1824.      D.    C.    1847. 

The  second  superintendent  of  public  schools  in    Northamp- 
42 


358  AKTIQUITIES    AKB    HISTOHICALS. 

ton,     1870-73.      Principal    of    Bellows    Falls    High    School. 
Died  at  Jacksonville,    Florida,  April,    1882. 

AARON  WARNER. 

N.  N.,  born  1794,  son  of  Joseph  and  Jerusha  Edwards 
W.  W.  C.  1815.  Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Semi- 
nary, 1819.  City  missionary  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  1819- 
23.  Pastorate  at  Medford,  Mass.,  1824-32.  Professor  of 
Sacred  Ehetoric,  Gilmanton  Theological  Seminary,  N.  H., 
1835-43.      Professor  of  Ehetoric,    Amherst   College,  1844-53. 

ABNER  BARNARD  WARNER. 

N.  N.,  born  1814,  son  of  Oliver  and  Ehoda  Bridgman 
W.  W.  C.  1833.  Grad.  at  Gilmanton  Theological  Semi- 
nary, 1838.  Ordained  and  remained  at  Milford,  N.  H., 
Feb.  6th,  1839-46.  Pastor  of  Mystic  Church,  Medford, 
Mass.,  1847-53.  Died  there  May  26th,  1853,  aged  thirty- 
nine. 

JOSEPH  WARNER. 

K.  N.,  born  1817,  the  son  of  Joseph  and  the  third  of 
that  name.  W.  C.  1841.  After  leaving  college,  and  cul- 
tivating for  two  years  his  father's  farm,  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  sewing  silk  until   his  death,  April  22d,  1877. 

OLIVER  WARNER. 

N.  K,  born  1818,  son  of  Oliver.  W.  C.  1842.  Grad. 
at  Gilmanton  Theological  Seminary,  N.  H.  Settled,  1844, 
at  Chesterfield.  Taught  1852-53,  at  Williston  Seminary. 
Elected  Eepresentative  to  the  Legislature,  1854-55.  A  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Senate,  1856-57.  For  some  fourteen  suc- 
cessive years  was  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. State  Librarian  and  Clerk,  for  a  time,  of  the 
Board  of  Education. 


NORTHAMPTOIS-    GRADUATES.  359 

LUTHER  JOSEPH  WARNER. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Joseph,  the  silk  manufacturer.  A.  C. 
1873.  Associated  at  first  with  his  father,  and  still  follows 
the  same  business.  The  factory  stands  on  the  road  to 
Northampton,    about   half  a  mile   east  of  Florence. 

SETH  S.    WARNER. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Edwin  of  Florence.  M.  A.  C.  1873. 
Dealer  in  Fertilizers,  in  Northampton. 

HENRY  WATSON. 
A  native  of  East  Windsor,  Ct.      T.  C.  1828.      Studied  law 
and    practiced    at    Greensborough,    Alabama.      Retired    from 
practice  in  1850.      Since  1861  has  lived  in  Northampton. 

ARTHUR  WATSON. 
Son  of   Henry  W.,  Esq.      Y.  C.   1873.      Studied    law    with 
the  late  Judge  Spaulding  of   Northampton,    and    admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1876.      Commenced  in  1878  as  an  Attorney-at-Law 
at  Northampton. 

WALTER  WATSON. 

Son  of  Henry.  Was  a  special  student  of  civil  engineer- 
ing, and  grad.  at  the  Yale  Scientific  School,  1879.  At  Onei- 
da, Oneida  Co.,  Idaho,  superintending  the  construction  of  a 
railroad  about  twenty  miles  from  Oneida.  Ex^^ects  his  de- 
gree of  civil  engineer  at  Yale,  in  June,  1882. 

SAMUEL  WELLS. 

A  native  of  Greenfield.  D.  C.  1813.  A  lawyer  and  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  ;  also  for  over  thirty  years  clerk  of  Hamp- 
shire County  Courts,  and  lived  in  Northampton.  Acciden- 
tally shot  by  the  unexpected  discharge  of  a  gun,  and  died 
Oct.  4th,  1864,  aged  seventy-one.  Highly  esteemed  in  the 
community  and  in  the  church. 


360  ANTIQUITIES    AN'D    HISTORICALS. 

HENRY  MARTYN  WELLS. 

N.  N.,  born  1835,  son  of  Samuel  W.,  Esq.  D.  C.  1857. 
Eeceived  the  degree  of  M.  D.,  at  University  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, in  1861.  Surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  Navy,  connected  with 
the  U.  S.  steamer,  Ticonderoga. 

MORRIS  EDWARD  WHITE. 

A  native  of  Ashfield,  son  of  Thomas  W.,  Esq.  D.  C. 
1828.  Grad.  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1831.  Pas- 
tor at  Southamjiton,  1832-53.  Without  pastoral  charge  at 
Northampton,  1853,  until  his  death  at  Florence,  Italy,  Oct. 
15th,  1861,  aged  fifty-eight. 

JOHN  PHILLIPS  PAYSON  WHITE. 

Born  in  Southampton,  1838,  son  of  Kev.  Morris  E.  W. 
W.  0.  1858.  Was  an  army  surgeon  during  the  war.  Now 
a  physician  in  N.  Y.  City. 

WILLIAM  HOWARD  WHITING. 

A  native  of  Bridgeport,  Ct.  A.  C.  1876.  Classical  mas- 
ter for  two  years,  1876-78,  at  the  Heathcote  boys'  school, 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Subsequently  Principal  of  Palmer  High 
School. 

JOSIAH  DWIGHT  WHITNEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1819,  son  of  Josiah  D.,  President  of  North- 
ampton Bank.  Y.  C.  1839.  Studied  in  Europe,  in  1842- 
43,  and  in  1846.  Employed  1847-49,  surveying  the  Lake 
Superior  region  ;  two  volumes  of  reports  were  published  by 
Congress.  In  1854,  he  published  a  volume  entitled,  "The 
Metallic  Wealth  of  the  United  States,  as  compared  with  that 
of  other  Countries."  In  1855,  was  chosen  professor  in  the 
Iowa  State  University.  Appointed,  in  1860,  State  Geologist 
of   California.      Since   1865,    has   been   professor   in  Harvard 


NORTHAMPTON    GRADUATES.  361 

College  of  Geology,  in  the  School  of  Metallurgy  and  Practi- 
cal Geology.  Eeceived  LL.  D.  from  Iowa  State  University, 
1870. 

WILLIAM  DWIGHT  WHITNEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1827,  son  of  J.  D.  W.  W.  C.  1845.  The 
valedictorian.  For  three  years  Teller  in  the  Northampton 
Bank.  Studied  Sanskrit  by  himself  in  1848,  and  with 
Prof.  Salisbury  in  1849,  at  New  Haven.  Spent  three 
years  in  Germany.  In  1854,  chosen  professor  of  the  San- 
skrit language  and  literature  at  Yale.  Since  1870,  has 
been  professor  of  Comparative  Philology.  Has  published 
extensively.  The  Emperor  of  Germany  conferred  on  him, 
in  the  summer  of  1881,  the  Order  of  Merit,  made  vacant 
by  the   death   of   Thomas   Carlyle. 

EDWARD  PAYSON  WHITNEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1833,  son  of  J.  D.  W.  Y.  C.  1854.  Taught 
one  year,  1855-56,  at  Williston  Seminary.  "If  he  is  still 
living,    the   fact  is   unknown   to  his   family  or  friends." 

JAMES  LYMAN  WHITNEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1835,  son  of  J.  D.  W.  Y.  C.  1856.  For 
a  time  a  bookseller  at  Springfield ;  afterward,  and  now, 
assistant   in   the   Boston   Public   Library. 

HENRY  MITCHELL  WHITNEY. 

N.  N.,  born  1843.  The  youngest  son  of  J.  D.  W. 
Y.  C.  1864.  Was  serg't  major  in  the  fifty-second  Massa- 
chusetts regiment  in  the  late  war.  Grad.  at  Andover 
Theological  Seminary,  1868.  Ordained  1869,  at  Geneva, 
111.  Prof,  of  Ehetoric  and  English  Literature  in  Beloit 
College,   Wisconsin. 


362  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORIC ALS. 

CHARLES  WILEY. 

A  native  of  New  York  City,  born  1809.  P.  C.  1836. 
Pastor  of  First  Church  at  Northamj^ton,  1837-45.  Second 
settlement  at  Utica,  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  1845-55. 
President  of  Milwaukee  University,  Wisconsin.  Third  set- 
tlement at  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  Reformed  Dutch  Church.  His 
last  place  of  residence  was  at  Orange,  N.  J.,  where  he 
died   Dec.    21st,    1878,    aged    sixty-nine. 

FREDERICK  AUGUSTUS  WILLARD. 
Son  of  Elder  Benjamin  W.,  the  first  pastor  of  the  Bap* 
tist  Church  in  Northampton.  A.-  C.  1826.  Pastor  of 
Baptist  Church  in  Worcester.  Lecturer  at  Waterbury  Col- 
lege, Maine,  on  Natural  History.  He  died  in  1866,  aged 
fifty-nine. 

ANDREW  PULLER  WILLARD. 

Son  of  Elder  Benjamin,  born  1814.  B.  U.  1849.  Taught 
in  Nova  Scotia,  1851-54.  Went  to  New  York,  took  up 
the  study  of  medicine,  and  grad.  at  Medical  Department 
of  University  of  Pennsylvania,  1860.  Moved  to  Kansas. 
Received  ordination  as  a  clergyman  in  1867,  preaching  the 
gospel  in  addition  to  his  other  labors.  Resides  in  Provi- 
dence,  R.    I. 

SOLOMON  WILLIAMS. 

The  fifth  minister  of  Northampton,  born  at  East  Hart- 
ford, Ct.,  1752,  son  of  Rev.  Eliphalet  W.  Y.  C.  1770. 
Tutor  at  Yale,  1773-75.  Ordained  1778.  Pastorate  1778- 
1834,  fifty-six  years,  during  which  over  nine  hundred  were 
admitted  to  the  Northampton  church.  He  died  in  1834, 
aged   eighty-two. 

SAMUEL  PORTER  WILLIAMS. 
From    Wethersfield,     Ct.,    born    1779,     gi-andson    of     C;iol. 
John   Stoddard  of  Northampton.      Y.  C.  1796.      Studied  for 


NORTHAMPTON^    GRADUATES.  363 

the  ministry  and  ordained  at  Mansfield,  Ct.,  1807.  Came 
to  Northampton  in  1817,  preached  for  two  years  as  an 
assistant  to  the  aged  pastor.  Ministry  at  Newburyport, 
1821-26.      He   died   in  1826,    aged  forty-seven. 

SIDNEY  PHOENIX  WILLIAMS. 

Son  of  Dea.  Eliphalet  W.  Y.  C.  1829.  Grad.  1833,  at 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  N.  Y.  City.  Set- 
tled in  Philadelphia,  where  he  died  March  5th,  1845, 
aged   thirty-three. 

MARTIN  LUTHER  WILLISTON. 

An  adopted  son  of  Dea.  J.  P.  Williston.  A.  C.  1864. 
Grad.  1869,  at  Union  Theological  Seminary,  N.  Y.  City. 
Pastor  at  Flushing,  N.  Y.  ;  at  Galesburg,  111.  ;  and  at 
Jamestown,  N.  Y.  Studied  and  travelled  in  Europe. 
Prof,    of    Rhetoric  at   Carleton   College,   Northfield,    Minn. 

SAMUEL  BAYARD  WOODWARD. 
Born  at  Torringford,  Ct.,  1787,  a  descendant  of  Henry 
W.,  who  died  in  Northampton  in  1685.  Received  honorary 
degree  of  M.  D.  from  Y.  C.  1822.  Supt.  of  the  State 
Lunatic  Asylum  at  Worcester,  1833-46.  At  Northampton 
from  1846  to  the  time  of  his  death,  January  3d,  1850, 
aged  sixty-three. 

JOB  WRIGHT. 
N.  N.,  born  1738,  son  of  Stephen.  Y.  C.  1757.  Set- 
tled at  Bernardston,  1761-82.  Says  a  townsman,  "I  loved 
Mr.  Wright  for  the  simplicity  of  his  manners,  his  high 
intellectual  attainments,  combined  with  his  christian  char- 
acter and  conduct."  Lived  in  Bernardston  about  sixty 
years,    where   he   died  in   1823,    aged   eighty-five. 

JOEL   WRIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  about  1769,  son  of  Joel,  uncle  of  the  late 
Christopher  W.     Y.    C.    1785.      Went    to    South    America, 


364  AN^TiQUltlES    AND    filSTORlCALS. 

engaged   in   business   several  years,    and   died   there   in   1797, 
aged  about  twenty-eight. 

EBENEZER  WRIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1779,  son  of  Enos  W.  W.  C.  1805. 
Studied  for  the  ministry.  Employed  by  tlie  Hampshire 
Missionary  Society,  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  from 
1809-14.  He  died  at  Eussell,  N.  Y.,  1814,  aged  thirty- 
five. 

GEORGE  TALCOTT  WRIGHT. 

N.    N.,    born    1795,    son    of    Aaron  and    Helena    Talcott 

Breck   W,      D.    0.     1809.      A    lawyer,  and    also    postmaster 

at   Rexford   Flats,    N.     Y.,    where    he  died    in     1859,     fifty 
years   from   the  time   he   graduated. 

FREDERICK  WRIGHT. 

N.  N.,  son  of  Theodore,  grandson  of  Seth  W.  H.  C. 
1831.  Grad.  at  Harvard  Law  School,  1834.  Practiced  in 
Boston.  Went  to  Ohio,  lived  near  Toledo,  engaged  in 
railroading.  Built  the  Detroit  division  of  the  Lake  Shore 
R.  R.  Agent  and  President,  also  large  proprietor,  of  the 
Manhattan  Land  Company.  He  died  in  1848.  Ancestors 
of  Frederick  Wright  were  Dea.  Samuel,  James,  Preserved, 
Ephraim,    Seth,    Theodore. 

HARTLEY  HEZEKIAH  WRIGHT, 

Born  in  Boston,  son  of  Hezekiah,  grandson  of  Seth. 
Lived  in  Northampton  when  young.  H.  C.  1831.  He 
travelled  in  Europe,  wrote  a  volume  of  his  travels  which 
was  published.      Died  in   1840. 

EPHRAIM  MUNROE   WRIGHT. 

N.  N.,  born  1813,  son  of  Zenas  and  Martha  Clapp  W. 
W.    C.    1839.      Studied    theology    at    New    Haven.      Teacher 


KORTHAMPTOK    GRADtTATES.  365 

at  Williston  Seminary,  1843-48.  Representative  to  State 
Legislature  in  1844.  State  Senator  for  Hampshire  County, 
1848-49.  Custom  House  officer  from  1849-53.  Secretary 
of  State,  1853-56.  Engaged  in  manufacturing  at  Williams- 
burg. Ordained  1861,  pastor  at  Bethlehem,  Ct.  After- 
wards at  Terryville,  Ct.  He  died  at  Northampton,  May 
17th,    1878,   aged  sixty-five. 

CHAUNCEY  WRIGHT. 

ISr.  N.,  born  Sept.  20th,  1830  son  of  Ansel  W.  H.  C. 
1852.  From  the  time  he  graduated  until  1870,  was  in  the 
office  of  the  Nautical  Almanac  at  Cambridge.  For  a  year 
or  two  he  taught  in  the  School  for  young  ladies,  main- 
tained at  Cambridge  by  Prof.  Agassiz.  In  1870,  and 
afterwards  he  was  for  a  short  time,  one  of  the  University 
lecturers,  and  again  an  instructor  in  the  college.  Wrote 
occasionally  for  some  of  the  Reviews  and  newspapers.  He 
died  in   September,    1875,    aged    forty-five. 


43 


CHAPTER    II. 


SUMMARY    OF    THE    COLLEGES — NUMBER   GRADUATED   AT   EACH. 


Yale   College,    Ct.,   about 
Harvard   College,    Mass., 
Williams   College,    Mass., 
Amherst   College,    Mass., 
Dartmouth   College,    N.    H., 
Princeton   College,    N.   J., 
Brown   University,    R.    I., 
Wesleyan   University,    Ct., 
Mass.    Agricultural   College, 
Union   College,    N.    Y., 
Middlebury   College,    Vt., 
Bowdoin   College,    Me., 
Oberlin    College,    0., 
Columbia   College,    N.   Y.    City, 


One   hundred  and  nine. 
Seventy-five. 
Fifty-two. 
Forty-three. 
Fifteen. 
Ten. 
Seven. 
Six. 
Five. 
Four. 
Four. 
Three. 
Three. 
Two. 

One,  each. 
Eight. 


Eight   Colleges, 

Foreign   Colleges   and   Universities 
Number  graduated   at  various  Theological,  Law, 
Medical,  Dental,  Naval,  and  other  professional 
institutions,    who    did    not    pursue    a    college 
course.  Fifty-six. 


CHAPTER    III. 

GEITERA.L     RESULTS. 

Graduates,  whole  number,  native  and  resident,  either 
Collegiate,  Theological,  Law,  Naval,  Medical,  Dental,  and 
otherwise,    about  four  hundred   and  ten. 

Natives  of  Northampton  in  the  above,  one  hundred  and 
sixty-six. 

Whole  number  of  college  graduates,  native  and  resident, 
about  three   hundred   and   fifty-four. 

Natives  of  Northampton,  college  graduates,  one  hundred 
and  fifty-six. 

Natives  of  Northampton,  publicly  educated  for  the  min- 
istry,  about   fifty. 

Some  sixty-two  natives  of  the  town,  publicly  educated 
and  otherwise,    have  become   ministers. 

Nine  resident  graduates  lived  fifty  years  and  over  at 
Northampton. 

Sixteen  resident  graduates  lived  there  forty  years  and  over. 

Forty-three  resident  graduates  lived  there   twenty  years. 

Whole  number  graduated  between  A.  D.  1656  and  A.  D. 
1700,    seven. 

Whole  number  graduated  between  A.  D.  1701  and  A.  D. 
1800,   seventy-nine. 

Whole  number  graduated  between  A.  D.  1801  and  A.  D. 
1820,    forty-nine. 


368 


ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTORICALS. 


Whole  number  graduated  between  A.  D.  1821  and  A.  D. 
1881,  of  all  descriptions,  about  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
four. 

Number  connected  with  college,  from  three  to  four  years, 
who   did  not  take  a  degree,   eight. 

THEOLOGICAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Ministers,  One  hundred  and  fourteen. 

Missionaries,    home   and  foreign,  .         .         Ten. 

Students  now  in   Theological   Seminaries,  Two. 


CIVIL  DEPARTMENT. 

Members  of  Continental   Congress, 

UNITED  STATES  OFFICERS. 

President  of  United   States, 
Presidential  Electors, 
Secretary  of  Navy, 
Treasurer  of  United   States, 
Ministers  to   Foreign   Countries, 
Consuls  to   Foreign   Countries, 
Consul's   Secretary, 
U.    S.    Senators, 
Kepresentatives  to   Congress, 
U.    S.    District   Attorney, 
U.    S.    Collector,     . 
Custom   House   Officer, 


MILITARY    DEPARTMENT. 


Generals, 
Colonels, 
Majors, 
Captains, 


Two. 


One. 

Three. 

One. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

One. 

Five. 

Eight. 

One. 

One. 

One. 

Two. 
Six. 
Four. 
Four. 


GENERAL    RESULTS. 


369 


Quartermaster,  ...... 

Sergeant   Major, 

Lieutenants,    ....... 

NAVAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Lieut.   Commander,   recently  made    Captain, 
Surgeons, 


Postmasters, 


POST  OFFICE  DEPARTMENT. 


STATE  DEPARTMENT. 


One. 
One. 
Three. 

One. 
Two. 

Two. 


Governors, 

Two. 

Members   of   GoTernor's   Council, 

Five. 

Secretaries  of  Commonwealth, 

Two. 

Clerk  in   Secretary  of   State's   Office, 

One. 

State   Treasurer,      .... 

One. 

State  Senators,         .... 

Seven. 

Kepresentatives,       .... 

Eighteen. 

Clerk  of  Board  of  State   Charities, 

One. 

State  Librarian, 

One. 

JUDICIAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Judges  of  the   different   Courts,    . 

Twenty-five 

District   Attorneys, 

Seven. 

Lawyers,  about        ....      One   h 

undred  and  two 

Clerks   of   Courts, 

Seven. 

Justices  of   Peace, 

Five. 

Registers   of  Probate,      .        .         .        .         . 

Four. 

MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Superintendents   of    Hospitals, 

Five. 

Health   Commissioners,            .         .         .         . 

Two. 

Physicians,    about            .... 

♦ 

Seventy-three. 

370 


ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOKICALS. 


Surgeons,         .         .         .         . 

Eight. 

Water   Cure   Proprietors,         .... 

Two. 

Mechanical   Surgery, 

One. 

Dentists, 

Four. 

EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Presidents   of    Colleges,           .... 

Seven. 

Professors,    about 

Thirty. 

Tutors, 

Sixteen. 

Superintendents  of   Public   Schools, 

Four. 

Classical   and   Grammar   School   Teachers,     . 

Thirty-one. 

Lecturers, 

Six. 

College  Trustees,             ..... 

Four. 

Librarians,       ....... 

Three. 

LITERARY  DEPARTMENT. 

Editors   and   Journalists,         .... 

Twenty-four 

Authors, 

Twenty-four 

Historians, 

Six. 

Poets, 

Three. 

Artists,             

One. 

Publishers, 

One. 

MUSICAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Professors  of  Music,                .... 

Two. 

Pursuinof   Musical   Study,        .... 

One. 

FINANCIAL  DEPARTMENT. 


Bankers,    Bank   Officers,    and   Clerks, 
Treasurers,       ...... 

President   Board   of   Smith   Charities,    . 
Kailroad  Presidents,        .        .        .         . 


Nine. 
Four. 
One. 
Two. 


GENERAL    RESULTS. 


sn 


INDUSTRIAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Merchants, 

Sixteen. 

Manufacturers, 

Ten. 

Farmers, 

Thirteen 

Engineers, — Civil,    Mining,    Mechanical, 

Four. 

Life   and  General  Insurance, 

Six. 

Mechanics, 

Two. 

MISCELLANEOUS  DEPARTMENT. 

Architects, 

One. 

Supercargo, 

One. 

UNDER-GRADUATES 

Harry   Lucien   Williams,    Senior  class  Yale  College,  son  of 
L.    B.    Williams. 

George  A.  Hall,  Senior  class  Amherst  College,  son  of 
Rev.   Gordon   Hall,    D.  D. 

Frank   Dickinson   Hastings,    Senior  class,  Amherst  College. 

Arthur  Lyman  Fisk,  Junior  class  Yale  College,  son  of 
Samuel  A.  Fisk,    M.  D. 

Howard  A.  Bridgman,  Junior  class  Amherst  College,  son 
of  Sidney  E.    Bridgman. 

Arthur  Gordon  Butler,  Sophomore  class  Williams  College, 
son   of  the  late  J.   H.    Butler. 

James  Church  Alvord,  Freshman  class  Williams  College, 
son  of  Daniel  Wells  Alvord,  grandson  of  the  late  Judge  C. 
A.  Dewey. 

Alfred  M.  Hall,  Freshman  class  Amherst  College,  son  of 
Eev.    Gordon   Hall,    D.  D. 

Robert  Stetson  Gorham,  Freshman  class  Harvard  College, 
son  of   Daniel   D.    Gorham. 


CHAPTEK    IV. 


NAMES    OF    NORTHAMPTON    LADIES,     GRADUATES    OF    MOUNT 

HOLYOKE    SEMINARY. 


Eoxana  B.  Parsons  Green,  Homer,  N.  Y., 

Cornelia  Frances  Bates,  Grantville, 

Georgiana  M.   Wright, 

Catharine  Gilfillan, 

Jane  Gilfillan, 

Helen  Gilfillan   Collins,  Elizabeth,  N.  J., 

Catharine  E.  Lee, 

Cornelia  Collins  Ward,  Holyoke, 

Charlotte  W.  Kaynor, 

Anna  C.  Edwards, 

Ellen  C.  Parsons, 

Mary  F.  Clarke, 

Sarah  C.  Parsons, 

Elizabeth  P.  Wright, 

Anna  A.  Parsons, 

Helen  J.  Angell  Goodwin,  Centre  Harbor,  N.  H., 

Myra  Parsons, 

About  fifty  young  ladies  of   Northampton  have   been  mem- 
bers of  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time. 

NORTHAMPTON   YOUNG  LADIES,  GRADUATES  OF   SMITH  COLLEGE. 

In  1879. — Harriet  B.  Warner,  Mary  E.  Gorham. 
In  1881. — Martha  J.  Bryant,  Sarah  D.  Kellogg. 


Grad.  1841 

"  1845 

''  1852 

"  1852 

"  1854 

''  1854 

"  1854 

"  1857 

"  1858 

"  1859 

"  1863 

"  1865 

''  1866 

''  1869 

"  1870 

''  1871 

"  1871 


ADDITIONAL    ANCIENT    HOMESTEADS.  373 

NAMES   OF   UNDEKGRADUATES   AT    SMITH    COLLEGE,    BELONGING 

TO   NORTHAMPTON. 

Class  of  1882.— Nina  E.  Brown,  Sophia  C.  Clark,  Mary  B. 
Daniels,  Elizabeth  B.  Wright. 

Class  of   1883.— Mary  A.   Clark. 

Class  of  1884.— Clara  M.  Clark,  Ella  C.  Clark,  Marion  B. 
Clough,  Nina  P.  Fisk,  Clara  French,  Harriet  L.  Hillman, 
Lucy  C.  McCloud,  Anna  M.  Quirk,  Caroline  B.  Sergeant, 
Ida  Skilton,  Frances  M.  Tyler, 

Class  of  1885. — Annie  L.  Clark,  Kate  W.  Kidder,  Annie 
0.  Parsons,  Eleanor  F.  Sawyer,  Alice  T.  Skilton,  Lucy  B. 
Taylor. 

Hattie  Parsons  grad.  at  Painesville,  Ohio,  Female  Seminary. 

ADDITIONAL    ANCIENT    HOMESTEADS. 

Jerijah  Strong,  Jr.,  North  Market  street.  Married,  1737, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Increase  Clark.  A  farmer,  five  children. 
He  died  in  1781,  aged  seventy-six.  She  died  in  1798,  aged 
eighty-seven. 

Second  generation,  Elijah  Strong,  born  1758.  Married, 
about  1779,  Elizabeth  Morton  of  Hatfield.  A  farmer,  six 
children.      He  died  in  1838,  aged  eighty-six. 

Third  generation,  Luther  Strong,  born  1782.  Married, 
1806,  Susannah  Clark  of  Westhampton.  A  farmer,  four 
children.  He  lived  to  be  sixty-four,  she  attained  her  eighty- 
first  year. 

Fourth    generation,    Cephas   Strong,    born  1808.     Married, 

1832,    Esther    H.  Starr    of    Easthampton.      A    farmer,    one 

child.     Sexton  for  over    twenty   years    of    the   First   Church. 

Still  living. 
44 


374  ANTIQUITIES    AND    HISTOEICALS. 

Fiftli  generation,  Edward  Barnard  Strong,  born  1841. 
Married,  1870,  Caroline  M.  Cliffe.  A  farmer,  two  or  more 
children. 

This  homestead  has  been  one  hundred  and  forty-five  years 
in  the  family  into  the  sixth  generation. 

Joseph  Alvord,  born  1698,  Bridge  street,  grandson  of  Alex- 
ander Alvord,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  a  man  of  considera- 
ble means  for  those  times.  Joseph  Alvord,  by  occupation  a 
weaver,  married  Clemence,  daughter  of  Dea.  Ebenezer  Wright. 
Established  himself  on  this  homestead  in  1730.  Deceased  in 
1786,  aged  eighty-eight. 

Second  generation,  Medad  Alvord,  born  1738.  Married 
Sarah  Baker ;  and  for  his  second  wife,  widow  Betsey  Par- 
tridge.     He  died  in  1798,  aged  sixty. 

Third  generation,  Eunice  Alvord,  born  1776,  daughter  of 
Medad.  She  married  Luther  Hunt,  who  died  in  1817,  aged 
forty-six.  She  survived  him  on  the  homestead  forty-three 
years.  They  were  the  parents  of  Medad  Hunt  and  Mrs. 
Eoxana  H.  Hubbard.  Eunice  Alvord  deceased  in  1860,  aged 
eighty-four. 

Fourth  generation,  Medad  Hunt.  He  sold  to  John  Clark, 
April  2d,  1861. 

The  homestead  continued  in  the  Alvord  and  Hunt  line 
one  hundred  and  thirty-one  years,  1730-1861. 


INDEX. 


[Continued  from  page  12.] 


167, 
167, 


SNOW. 

Angeline, 

SOUTHGATE. 
Horatio,  Rev. 

SPAULDING 

James  P. 
Samuel  T. 
Timothy  G. 

SPENCER. 
Ichabod  S.,  Rev. 

STARR. 
Esther, 

STARKWEATHER. 

Charles, 
Charles  G. 
Frederick  M 
Haynes  K. 
Kin^sley, 
Martha, 
Sally, 

STEARNS. 
Oliver, 

STEBBINS. 

Daniel,  64,  203, 

John, 

STODDARD. 

Anthony,  Rev.  185, 

Christina, 

David,  Rev.  29, 

Esther, 

Esther  Mather, 

Francis  H. 

Hannah, 

Henry  B.,  Dr. 

Israel, 

John,  Col.        \ 

John,  2d, 
John  T.,  Prof 
Louisa  G. 
Mary, 


22, 


27, 
15,  21, 
170,  211, 


233 


850 


345 
345 
346 


346 


373 


167 
167 
346 
272 

228 

182 

228 


346 


346 
204 


347 
217 
348 
216 
107 
349 
217 
349 
348 
107 
347 
348 
349 
254 
217 


34 


Rebekah, 
Sarah, 

Solomon,  Rev.  < 

Solomon,  Hon. 
Solomon,  Esq. 
Solomon,  Prof. 

STONE. 

Julia  A.  B. 
Isaac, 

STORRS. 

Nathan, 


73,  170 
218,  2:J7 
,  42,  107 
201,  347 
108,  :347 
348 
254,  348 


350 
349 


357 


STRICKLAND. 
William  P.  272,  349 

STRONG. 

Abigail,  215 

Adino,  Hon.  205 

Amasa,  256 

Asahel,  137 

Benajah,  51 

Benjamin,  Lieut.  89 

Caleb,  Lieut,  93 

Caleb,  17,  26,  94,  14  3,  171,352 
Caleb,  Rev.  352 

Calvin,  119 

Cephas,  373 

Daniel,  149,  221 

Daniel,  Drum  Major,      141 
Dorothy,  223 

Ebenezer,  Elder,  42,  91,  136 
Ebenezer,  Jr.  204 

Edward,  352 

Edward,  2d,  352 

Edward  Barnard,  374 

Eleazar,  165 

Elijah,  373 

Elisha,  Col.  53 

Elizabeth,  108,  123,  187,  239 
Franklin  C.  352 

George,  135,  137,  165 

George  H.  165 

George  Henry,  353 

Henry  H.  165 

Ithamar,  85,  165 

Jedediah,  49, 204 

Jerijah,  66 


Jerijah,  Jr.,  373 

Job,  147,  221,  350 

ir.hr.   -PM^-  i  19,40,41,  177 

John,  Elder,  -j  ^3'  ^ 

John,  89 

Jonathan,  92,  123 

Jonathan,  Ensign,  136 

Jonathan,  Serg't,  135 

Joseph,  148,  165 

Joseph,  Esq.  205 
Lewis.  Hon.         96,  271,  351 

Lewis  M.  353 

Levi,  148 

Lucy,  119 

Luther,  373 

Martha,  223 

Maria,  66 
Mary,                    49,  159.  177 

Naomi.  219 

Nathaniel,  Lieut,  147 

Nathaniel,  Jr.,  147 

Nathaniel,  4th,  148 

Nehemiah,  Prof.  350 

Penelope,  125 

Phebe  L.  140 

Ruth,  159 

Samuel,  137,  159 

Sarah,  231 

Simeon,  75 

Simeon,  Hon.  148,  351 

Stephen  Chester,  353 

Theodore,  89,  351 

Theodore,  2d,  353 
Thomas,             165,  204,  351 

William,  149 

William  L.  165 

SUTHERLAND. 

Judge,  282 

SWIFT. 

Eliphalet  Y.  353 

TAPPAN. 
Arthur, 


Benjamin, 
Benjamin,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth, 
John, 


28 

28,  207 

17 

229 

28 


INDEX. 


Lewis, 

Lucy, 

Rebecca, 

TAYLOR. 


28, 


232 
226 
235 


John,  Maj. 
Lucy  B. 
Verren  D.,  Rev. 

353 
373 
256 

TEDFORD. 

Lyman  B. 

247 

TENNEY. 

Caleb,  J.,  Rev. 
George  C. 
Mary,  Mrs. 

353 
354 
115 

TISDALE.. 

Master, 

188 

THAYER. 

James  B.,  Prof. 
William  S. 

354 

354 

THOMPSON. 

Augustus  C,  Rev. 
Austin  W. 

Daniel,  Dr.                129, 
James,  Dr. 
William  A.,  Rev. 
William,  Prof. 

239 
355 
355 
355 
236 
236 

TODD. 

John,  Rev. 
John  E.,  Rev. 

355 
356 

TRUMBULL. 

J.  R. 

97 

TUCKER. 

Mark,  Rev. 

356 

TURNER. 

Wm.  E. 

TYLER. 

356 

Bennett,  Rev. 

Frances  M. 

Henry  M.,  Prof. 

John  B.,  Dr.       144,  2:38 

Josiah,  Rev. 

William, 

W.  S.,  Prof.               234 

238 
373 
357 

,  357 
244 
356 

,357 

WALKER. 

Charles.  Dr. 
Timothy, 

357 
357 

WARD. 

Cornelia  C. 

T     W 

WARHAM. 

372 

357 

Hester, 

WATSON. 

19 

Arthur, 

Henry, 

Walter, 

359 
359 
359 

WARNER. 

Aaron,  Prof. 

Abigail. 

Abner  B.,  Rev. 

Daniel, 

Edward, 

Harriet, 

John  P.                      156 

358 
111 
358 
155 
359 
372 
157 

Joseph,  156, 358 

Joseph,  2d,  166 

Joseph,  3d,  157 

Luther  J.  157,  359 

Mark,  155,  190 

Mark,  Jr.  155 

Mehitable,  153 
Oliver,  Hon.  111,156,241,358 

Seth,  359 

Solomon,  156 

WASHBURNE. 

Mrs.  173 

WELLS. 

Henry  M.  360 

Samuel,  359 

WHEELER. 

John,  Rev.  231 

WHITE. 

John  P.  P.  360 

Josiah,  164 

Morris  E.,  Rev.  360 

Thomas.  Rev.  219 

Thomas,  360 

WHITMAN. 

Elnathan.  Rev.  218 

Samuel,  Rev.  219 

WHITTLESEY. 

John,  115 

Samuel.  Rev.  219 

WHITING. 

Wm.  H.  360 

WHITNEY. 

David  S.  271 

Edward  P.  361 

Henry  M.,  Prof.  361 

James  L.  361 

Josiah,  Prof.       33,  169,  360 
Maria,  169 

Sarah  B.  245 

William  D.,  Prof.  33,169,301 

WILLARD. 

Andrew  F.,  Rev.  362 

Frederick  A.,  Rev.         362 

WILLIAMS. 

Cordelia,  285 

Edward,  244 

Eleazar,  216 

Eliphalet,  Rev.  Dr.  243 
Eliphalet.  Hon.  144,  225,270 

Ephraim,  Col.  194 

Harry  L.  374 

John,  Rev.  104,  216 

L.  B.  371 

Mary,  144, 237 

Nancy  Barnard,  243 

Sally,  329 

Samuel,  144 

Samuel  P.,  Rev.  20,  262 

Sidney  P.  363 

Solomon,Rev.  |  ^^^^^^^  J^S 

Stephen,  Sr.  104 

Stephen,  Jr.,  Rev.  104,  220 

Stephen,  216 

Warham,  216 


William,  Rev.  55,  217 

William,  2d,  Rev.  218 

WILLISTON. 

A.  L.,  Dea.  271 

Hannah  M.,  253 

John  P.,  Dea.  253,  271 

John  P.,  Mrs.  152 

Martin  L.,  Rev.  254,  363 

WITHINGTON. 
Leonard,  Rev. 

WOOD. 
Andrew  S. 

WOODBRIDGE, 

Aeneas, 
John,  Rev. 
Sylvester,  Dr. 

WILEY. 


234 


221 

221 

22 

362 


Charles,  Rev. 

WOODFORD. 

Hannah,  91 

Mary,  191 

WOODWARD. 

Experience,  97 

Henry,  175 

John,  124 

Maria  P.  251 

Samuel  B.,  Dr.  175,  363 

WORTHINGTON. 

John,  Col.  14,  143,  171 

WRIGHT. 


Anna, 

Christopher, 

Clemeuce, 

Chauncey, 

Daniel, 

Ebenezer,  Dea. 

Ebenezer,  Rev. 

Enos,  Dea. 

Elizabeth,  Mrs. 

Elizabeth  B. 

Elizabeth  P. 

Ephraim, 

Ephraim  M.,  Rev. 

Ferdinand  H. 

Frederick, 

George  L. 

George  T. 

Georgiana  M. 

Hartley  H, 

James, 

James  G. 

J.  E.  M.,  Rev. 

Jemima, 

Job, 

Joel, 

Mary, 

Noah, 

Samuel,  Sr. 

Samuel,  Jr. 

Sarah, 

Seth, 

Stephen,  Dea. 

Theodore, 

Timothy, 

William  K. 


167 

109 

374 

365 

167 

108,  265 

227,  364 

209,  269 

208 

373 

372 

88 

364 

167 

364 

272 

364 

372 

364 

88 

109 

109 

155,  157 

363 

108,  363 

108 

109 

88,  156 

106,  189 

99 

88,  108 

267 

364 

209 

209 


ERRATA. 


Page  23.  The  sentence  commencing,  "  The  writer  recalls  seven  Mathers  of 
Northampton,"  readers  will  please  omit. 

Page  239,  sixth  line  from  the  bottom,  the  sentence,  "He  married  for  his 
second  wife,"  should  read,  for  his  third  wife. 

Page  290.  Isaac  Edwards  Clark,  and  on  page  291,  John  Proctor  Clark,  both 
add  the  final  e,  thus,  Isaac  Edwards  Clarke,  John  Proctor  Clarke. 

Page  291,  fifth  line  from  the  top,  instead  of  Assistant  in  Wolf ord's  District 
Attorney's  oflice,  should  read.  Assistant  United  States  District  Attorney  in 
Wolford's  District  Attorney's  office. 

Page  355,  second  line  from  the  top,  the  sentence,  In  1874,  chosen  Royal 
Professor,  etc.,  should  read,  Roy  all  Professor,  etc. 


ff~'%  V'i 


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